The 

Churches  of  Christ  in  America 

AND 

International  Peace 


Presented  by 

Rev.  CHARLES  S.  MACFARLAND,  Ph.D. 

Secretary  of  the 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America 


AT  THE 

CHURCH  PEACE  CONFERENCE 

Constance,  Germany 

August  2,  1914 


Printed  by 

THE  CHURCH  PEACE  UNION 


The  Churches  of  Christ  in  America 

AND 

International  Peace 


Presented  (in  English  and  German)  by 


Rev.  CHARLES  S.  MACFARLAND,  Ph.D. 
Secretary  of  the 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America 


AT  THE 


CHURCH  PEACE  CONFERENCE 
Constance,  Germany 

August  2,  1914 


The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 

in  America 

The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  is 
an  officially  constituted  federation  of  thirty  evangelical  denomina¬ 
tions.  It  includes  138,000  churches,  with  17,000,000  church  mem¬ 
bers. 

CONSTITUENCY 

Its  constituent  bodies  are  as  follows : 

The  Baptist  Churches,  North 

The  National  Baptist  Convention  (colored) 

The  Free  Baptist  Churches 
The  Christian  Church 
The  Congregational  Churches 
The  Disciples  of  Christ 

The  Friends  d 

The  German  Evangelical  Synod 
The  Evangelical  Association 

The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  General  Synod 

The  Mennonite  Church 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South 

The  African  M.  E.  Church 

The  African  M.  E.  Zion  Church 

The  Colored  M.  E.  Church  in  America 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church 

The  Moravian  Church 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  17.  S.  A. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  (South) 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  (Commissions  on  Christian 
Unity  and  Social  Service) 

The  Reformed  Church  in  America 
The  Reformed  Church  in  U.  S. 

The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  General  Synod 


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The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church 
The  United  Brethren  Chnrch 
The  United  Evangelical  Chnrch 
The  United  Presbyterian  Chnrch 
The  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church 

The  preamble  to  the  Constitution  reads  as  follows:  “In  the 
providence  of  God,  the  time  has  come  when  it  seems  fitting  more 
fully  to  manifest  the  essential  oneness  of  the  Christian  Churches 
of  America,  in  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Divine  Lord  and  Saviour, 
and  to  promote  the  spirit  of  fellowship,  service  and  co-operation 
among  them.” 

ORGANIZATION 

The  Federal  Council  meets  quadrennially  and  consists  of  about 
four  hundred  qualified  delegates  officially  elected  by  the  various 
denominational  assemblies  or  other  constituted  authorities. 

Its  Executive  Committee  consists  of  about  ninety  of  these 
delegates  and  acts  for  the  Council  during  the  Quadrennium  be¬ 
tween  its  sessions,  holding  annual  meetings. 

The  Executive  Committee  has  an  Administrative  Committee, 
holding  regular  monthly  meetings,  which  acts  for  the  Executive 
Committee  between  its  sessions. 

The  national  office  and  its  executives,  under  the  Administrative 
Committee,  carry  on  the  continuous  work  of  the  Council. 


INTERNATIONAL  PEACE  AS  ONE  OF  THE  OBJECTIVES 

At  the  preliminary  Council  in  New  York  in  1905,  at  which 
the  objects  of  the  proposed  federation  were  set  forth,  Hon.  Chief 
Justice  David  J.  Brewer  struck  the  note  of  International  Peace 
in  these  words: 

“The  longing  of  humanity  has  been  for  peace  on  earth.  That  was 
the  song  of  the  angels  at  Bethlehem,  and  the  more  that  song  stirs  the 
hearts  of  men  the  nearer  will  be  the  glad  day.  This  nation,  where  the 
people  rule,  should  ever  be  strong  for  peace,  for  the  burden  and  curse  of 
war  rest  upon  them.  The  united  voice  of  the  Christian  Church  of  America, 
the  united  effort  of  all  denominations,  would  compel  the  government  to 
take  a  higher  position.  Do  not  turn  the  peace  movement  over  to  the 
Quakers  alone.  Let  us  all  catch  the  sweet  echoes  of  Bethlehem’s  song,  and, 
as  one,  affirm  that  the  time  has  come  when  the  sword  shall  be  turned 
into  the  ploughshare  and  the  spear  into  the  pruning  hook.  Our  country 


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in  many  respects  has  a  noble  record.  The  grand  declaration  of  Secretary 
Hay  that  American  diplomacy  is  founded  on  the  Golden  Rule  lifted  this 
nation  into  a  higher  position  as  a  world  power  than  the  victories  at 
Manilla  and  Santiago  de  Cuba.  The  great  triumphal  peace  between  Russia 
and  Japan  was  largely  due  to  our  chief  executive.  Yet,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  we  cannot  be  oblivious  to  the  fact  that  there  is  much  itching  for 
more  and  larger  battleships,  and  the  ‘pride,  pomp  and  circumstance  of 
glorious  war’  still  make  a  large  appeal  to  many.  We  love  the  power  that 
is  material.  As  against  the  war  spirit  I  invoke  the  spirit  of  the  Master. 
As  against  the  call  for  battleships  I  invoke  the  action  of  a  united  Church, 
and  I  am  sure  that  a  Federation  of  all  the  Churches  will  soon  make  it 
plain  that  as  for  this  nation  there  must  be  no  longer  war  nor  a  getting 
ready  for  war.” 

At  the  final  organization  in  Philadelphia  in  1908  a  Committee 
on  International  Relations,  of  which  the  Hon.  Henry  Wade  Rogers 
was  the  chairman,  presented  a  report  which  was  unanimously 
adopted  as  follows:' 


INTERNATIONAL  RELATIONS 

“It  is  the  mission  of  the  Church  to  extend  the  Kingdom  of  God  upon 
the  earth,  and  to  maintain  the  righteousness  that  exalteth  a  nation.  The 
morality  that  ought  to  govern  the  conduct  of  nations  is  not  different  from 
the  morality  that  ought  to  govern  the  conduct  of  individuals.  That  there 
are  two  codes  of  morality,  one  for  public  and  the  other  for  private  life, 
one  for  nations  and  another  for  individuals,  is  a  sentiment  so  utterly  false 
and  contrary  to  Christianity,  that  it  must  always  receive  the  indignant 
denial  of  the  Churches. 

“In  recent  years  a  most  hopeful  and  inspiring  movement  has  been 
under  way  in  many  different  parts  of  the  world.  If  successful,  as  no 
doubt  in  the  end  it  will  be,  International  Law  will  be  administered  by  an 
International  Court  and  nations,  no  more  than  individuals,  will  be  per¬ 
mitted  to  settle  their  disputes  by  force.  When  that  day  comes  Inter¬ 
national  Law  will  be  more  in  harmony  than  it.  now  is  with  the  spirit  and 
teachings  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  Whom  were  all  the  things  in 
heaven  and  earth  created,  thrones,  dominions,  principalities  and  powers. 

“The  time  has  certainly  come  when  the  Christian  Churches  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  Christendom  should  pronounce  anathema  upon 
the  heresy  of  war. 

“If  nations  are  to  abolish  war  then  some  substitute  for  war  must  be 
found  by  which  states  can  settle  those  international  differences  which  can¬ 
not  be  adjusted  through  the  channels  of  diplomacy.  There  is  but  one 
substitute  for  war  and  that  is  the  doctrine  of  arbitration. 

“The  problem  is  a  perplexing  one.  Nations  feel  compelled  to  increase 
their  armaments  because  their  neighbors  are  augmenting  theirs  and  they 
want  to  be  prepared  for  emergencies. 


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“The  one  practical  course  which  seems  open  to  the  friends  of  peace  is 
to  make  increased  efforts  to  create  a  public  sentiment  throughout,  the 
world  in  condemnation  of  the  existing  conditions  as  to  armaments  and  of 
the  vast  and  burdensome  expenditures  which  these  conditions  involve.  The 
movement  for  a  limitation  of  armaments  must  go  on,  and  a  way  must  be 
found  by  which  the  nations  can  reach  some  agreement  upon  the  subject. 

“Metternich  thought  the  question  of  disarmament  should  be  regarded 
from  a  moral  and  material  point  of  view,  and  he  regarded  the  moral 
point  as  granted.  The  Churches  must  take  it  for  granted  too.  They 
cannot  acquiesce  without  protest  in  the  ever-increasing  expenditures  for 
armaments  and  excuse  their  silence  in  a  temper  of  futile  fatalism  without 
confessing  themselves  enemies  of  progress  and  reform  and  unfaithful  fol¬ 
lowers  of  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

“And  while  the  Churches  are  particularly  interested  from  a  moral 
point  of  view  in  the  question  of  the  limitation  of  armaments,  they  cannot 
be  uninterested  in  it  from  a  material  point  of  view.  Regarding  the  matter 
purely  in  its  material  aspects  these  vast  expenditures  constitute  a  gigantic 
evil,  exhausting  as  they  do  the  resources  of  nations  and  imposing  enormous 
debts  which  retard  the  true  development  of  States.  The  annual  expend¬ 
itures  for  armaments,  of  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world,  is  now  esti¬ 
mated  to  be  somewhere  between  £400,000,000  and  £500,000,000.  The  cost  of 
a  single  first-class  battleship  is  about  ten  million  dollars.  To  maintain 
and  navigate  it  costs  per  year  nearly  a  million  dollars  more.  The  cost 
of  a  single  coast  defense  gun,  capable  of  sinking  a  ship  at  a  distance  of 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles  is  not  less  than  seventy  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  cost  of  firing  it  is  about  one  thousand  dollars,  and  its  life  is  said 
to  be  limited  to  less  than  a  hundred  discharges,  when  it  has  to  be  for  the 
most  part  reconstructed. 

“But  the  practical  question  for  this  body  is  what  can  the  Churches  do 
to  aid  the  movement  for  the  abolition  of  war?  In  answering  that  question 
it  is  necessary  to  remember  that  the  world  is  governed  by  public  opinion. 
Those  who  manage  affairs  of  government  do  not  lead  public  opinion.  They 
follow  and  obey  it.  In  no  country  is  public  opinion  so  powerful  as  in 
the  United  States.  And  the  public  opinion  of  this  country  will  exert  more 
influence,  probably,  than  that  of  any  other  one  country,  in  shaping  the 
opinions  of  this  century  and  therefore  the  conduct  of  the  nations  of  the 
world.  Every  great  reform  is  to  be  worked  out  by  educating  public  opin¬ 
ion.  The  answer  to  the  question  we  have  propounded  is  simple.  Let  the 
Churches  educate  public  opinion.  The  greatest  moral  influence  in  the  coun¬ 
try  should  be  the  pulpit.  The  abolition  of  war,  like  slavery,  and  polygamy, 
and  intemperance,  is  a  great  moral  question.  It  is  not  a  question  to  be  left 
solely  to  Peace  Societies,  to  Chambers  of  Commerce,  and  to  Peace  Confer¬ 
ences.  The  Churches  should  exert  their  influence  through  the  pulpit  and 
through  the  religious  press  to  awaken  the  public  conscience  and  create  a 
universal  demand  for  the  abolition  of  war,  for  a  limitation  of  armaments, 
and  for  an  International  Court  of  Arbitral  Justice.  The  responsibility  rests 
upon  the  pew  as  well  as  upon  the  pulpit.  Every  Church  member  in  his 
place  must  do  his  part  in  the  great  work.  He  should  be  an  agent  in  creat- 

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ing  in  liis  own  particular  sphere  of  influence  a  right  public  opinion  on  this 
subject.  The  Churches  may  well  adopt  the  practice  now  observed  in  Great 
Britain  and  in  some  parts  of  Continental  Europe  and  observe  the  Sunday 
before  Christmas  as  Peace  Sunday,  and  thereby  inculcate  the  great  lessons 
of  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men. 

“In  considering  what  may  be  done  to  aid  the  cause  of  peace  mention 
must  be  made  of  the  service  which  can  be  rendered  through  the  »reat 
societies  of  young  people  which  many  of  the  denominations  have  estab¬ 
lished  for  the  purpose  of  training  the  young  men  and  women  in  the  way 
of  duty  and  of  Christian  service,  and  with  the  view  of  making  them 
loyal  and  efficient  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  If  the  Churches  are 
to  labor  more  earnestly  for  peace  these  young  people’s  societies  should 
do  the  same.  They  may  become  among  the  most  powerful  agencies  in 
existence  for  the  development  of  the  movement  for  the  abolition  of  war, 
and  through  them  the  youth  of  the  nation  may  be  trained  in  a  better 
understanding  of  the  general  interests  of  humanity  and  in  a  more  correct 
conception  of  the  relations  of  the  nations  to  each  other.  Connected  with 
the  Churches  represented  in  this  Council  are  the  Young  People’s  Society 
of  Christian  Endeavor,  the  Epworth  League,  the  Baptist  Young  People’s 
Union  of  America,  the  United  Society  of  Free  Baptist  Young  People,  the 
Luther  League  of  America,  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew,  the  Brother¬ 
hood  of  Andrew  and  Philip,  and  the  Young  People’s  Christian  Union  of 
the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ.  The  Young  People’s  Society 
of  Christian  Endeavor  has  its  societies  in  Canada,  Australia,  Great  Britain, 
China,  India  and  Japan,  as  well  as  in  all  missionary  lands. 

“These  organizations  may  well  be  advised  that  the  Churches  desire  their 
co-operation  in  bringing  about  the  abolition  of  war  and  in  securing  the 
settlement  of  international  differences  through  arbitration.  Their  atten¬ 
tion  may  well  be  directed  to  the  desirability  of  recognizing  the  18th  of 
May  as  a  Peace  Day.  That  day,  as  the  anniversary  of  the  opening  of 
the  Hague  Conference,  is  coming  to  be  recognized  in  this  country  and  in 
Europe.  It  is  observed  by  the  Chautauqua  Circles  all  over  the  land.  In 
1907  it  was  observed  in  the  schools  of  ten  States  on  the  recommendation 
of  the  Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction.  Its  observance  has  been 
recommended  by  the  National  Commissioner  of  Education.  The  president 
of  the  National  Educational  Association  in  1907  made  a  like  recom¬ 
mendation  in  his  annual  address.  The  reasons  which  justify  the  observ¬ 
ance  of  the  day  by  the  schools  apply  with  equal  force  and,  perhaps,  with 
greater  force  to  its  observance  by  the  Young  People’s  Societies. 

“It  is  also  desirable  that  the  attention  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Associations  should  be  directed  to  the  importance  of  this  subject  and  their 
co-operation  enlisted  in  the  movement.  There  are  about  eight  thousand  of 
these  associations  in  the  world,  of  which  about  two  thousand  are  in  this 
country,  with  a  membership  of  about  five  hundred  thousand.  These  asso¬ 
ciations  have  an  International  Committee  with  headquarters  in  New  Zork. 
There  is  also  a  World’s  Committee  with  headquarters  in  Geneva,  Switzer¬ 
land.  The  latter  committee  is  composed  of  members  representing  America, 
Australia,  Austria-Hungary,  Belgium,  Denmark,  Great  Britain,  France, 


7 


Germany,  Italy,  Netherlands,  Norway,  Portugal,  Russia,  Spain,  South 
Africa,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  Japan,  and  India.  These  associations  should 
be  requested  in  all  countries  in  which  they  exist  to  recognize  Hague  Day 
and  at  other  times  and  in  such  manner  as  they  may  determine  to  em¬ 
phasize  among  their  members  the  wrongfulness  and  folly  of  war  and  the 
rightfulness  and  wisdom  of  International  Arbitration.” 

We  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution: 

“Resolved,  That  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America,  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  and  representing  more 
than  seventeen  millions  of  communicants  in  the  Evangelical  Churches  of 
America,  makes  the  following  declarations: 

“1.  It  declares  its  conviction  that  war  is  evil  and  that  Christian 
nations  should  determine  by  obligatory  arbitration  the  international  dif¬ 
ferences  which  cannot  be  settled  by  diplomacy.  For  Christian  States  in  the 
Twentieth  Century  to  refuse  to  arbitrate  and  to  insist  on  war  will  be  to 
bring  reproach  on  the  Christian  name. 

“2.  It  favors  the  creation  of  the  International  Court  of  Arbitral  Jus¬ 
tice  proposed  by  the  Second  Hague  Conference,  and  hopes  that  the  Govern¬ 
ment  of  the  United  States  will  promote  its  establishment  and  that  at  the 
earliest  possible  day. 

“3.  It  is  opposed  to  increase  of  armaments  and  deplores  the  failure  of 
the  Hague  Conferences  to  come  to  an  agreement  upon  this  all-important 
subject. 

“4.  It  has  learned  with  much  satisfaction  that  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  has  recently  entered  into  treaties  of  arbitration  with 
some  of  the  nations  and  it  trusts  that  without  unnecessary  delay  other 
treaties  of  arbitration  may  be  made  with  other  States.  It  regrets  that 
it  seemed  to  the  contracting  powers  to  be  desirable  to  limit,  the  existence 
of  these  treaties  to  five  years  and  to  restrict  the  subjects  to  be  arbitrated 
to  the  somewhat  narrow  limits  which  the  treaties  define.” 

We  also  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution: 

“Resolved,  That  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America  makes  the  following  recommendation  to  the  Evangelical  Churches 
of  America  represented  in  this  body: 

“  ‘That  the  Churches  throughout,  the  United  States,  adopting  the 
recommendation  originally  made  by  the  British  Peace  Society  to  the 
Churches  of  Great  Britain,  observe  in  each  year  the  Sunday  before  Christ¬ 
mas  as  Peace  Sunday.’ 

“And  that  the  above  action  is  taken  in  the  hope  that  in  all  the 
world  Christian  Churches  of  whatever  name  will  observe  the  same  day  as 
Peace  Sunday.” 

We  also  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution: 

“Resolved,  That  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America  recommend  to  the  various  societies  of  young  people  connected  with 
the  Evangelical  denominations  represented  in  this  body  that  they  in  each 
year  recognize  as  Hague  Day  the  18th  of  May,  and  have  on  that  day  in  all 
their  chapters  as  far  as  possible  a  consideration  of  the  subject  of  peace.” 


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RELATIONS  WITH  THE  CHURCHES  IN  EUROPE 


In  the  summer  of  1911  I  was  commissioned  by  the  Federal 
Council  to  confer  with  representatives  of  the  Councils  of  Churches 
in  the  British  and  German  Empires,  holding  several  conferences 
with  Mr.  J.  Allen  Baker,  M.P.,  in  London;  Dr.  F.  A.  Spiecker 
and  Herr  Licentiate  F.  Siegmund-Schultze  in  Berlin;  with  Rev. 
F.  B.  Meyer,  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Free  Church  Council  of 
Great  Britain ;  and  other  representatives  of  the  churches  in  Europe. 

One  of  the  plans  considered  was  the  one  which  we  more  than 
fulfill  here  in  Constance,  that  of  a  Conference  of  the  Churches  of 
Europe  and  America. 


THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL  COMMISSION  ON  PEACE 

AND  ARBITRATION 

The  work  of  the  Federal  Council  is  largely  carried  on  through 
commissions,  and  in  1911  a  special  commission  was  appointed  on 
International  Peace  and  Arbitration. 

At  the  Second  Quadrennial  Council  this  Commission  reported 
as  follows,  its  recommendations  all  being  adopted  unanimously: 


REPORT  OF  THE  COMMISSION  ON  PEACE  AND 
ARBITRATION  IN  1912 

THE  CHURCH  AND  THE  NEW  INTERNATIONALISM 

The  Federal  Council  has,  from  its  inception,  evinced  great  sympathy 
with  the  rapidly  growing  movement  for  the  substitution  of  judicial 
methods  for  war  in  the  settlement  of  disputes  between  nations.  At  its 
national  gathering  it  has  passed  strong  resolutions,  and  in  times  of  crisis 
its  executive  committee  has  both  passed  resolutions  and  used  its  influence 
at  Washington  in  favor  of  international  peace.  The  Council  has  recognized 
from  the  beginning  that  a  religion  which  teaches  that  all  men  have  the 
same  Father  and  are  therefore  of  one  blood  is  impelled  to  protest  unceas¬ 
ingly  against  an  institution  which  in  almost  every  instance  contradicts  this 
fundamental  teaching  of  the  gospel.  It  has  also  recognized  and  emphasized 
from  the  beginning  that  membership  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  bound 
men  together  in  the  strongest  unity  of  all,  and  that  war  among  Christians 
was  a  violation  of  this  unity  and  destructive  of  the  very  Kingdom  to 
which  they  belonged.  In  war,  men  are  tearing  down  the  home  of  their 
own  souls. 

Believing,  then,  that  war,  as  a  means  of  settlement  of  international 
disputes  is  anti-Christian  in  its  very  nature,  the  Federal  Council  has  always 
insisted  that  leadership  in  the  cause  of  international  arbitration  sho*ld  be 

9 


assumed  by  the  churches.  It  has  saved  the  churches  of  America  from  the 
imputation  so  frequently  cast  upon  the  European  churches,  that  in  the 
face  of  the  most  horrible  atrocities  it  has  been  silent.  It  has  saved  the 
churches  of  America  from  the  taunt  so  frequently  heard  in  Europe,  and 
recently  echoed  by  Lord  Balfour:  “On  trifles  the  Church  is  eloquent,  but 
on  great  moral  issues  she  says  nothing.”  It  has  prevented  the  question 
being  asked  in  America  that  has  recently  been  asked  throughout  Germany. 
When,  two  years  ago,  rumors  of  war  between  France  and  Germany  and 
England  and  Germany  reached  that  stage  that  one  uncautious  or  unwise 
move  would  have  plunged  these  nations  into  catastrophic  battle,  an  hundred 
thousand  members  of  the  Social  Democratic  party — mostly  workingmen — 
met  in  the  great  square  in  Berlin  and  emphatically  protested  not  only 
against  war,  but  against,  war  talk.  Immediately  all  over  Europe  arose  the 
question:  “Splendid,  but  where  were  the  churches?”  The  Federal  Council 
has  always  been  first  in  America  to  speak,  and  it  has  left  no  room  for 
such  scornful  words  to  be  heard  in  our  great  land. 

APPOINTMENT  OF  THE  COMMISSION 

Believing  as  it  did,  that  the  Church  should  lead  in  the  movement  for 
bringing  nations  under  the  same  great  Christian  principles  that  govern  the 
relations  of  individuals  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ;  believing  that  there 
cannot  be  a.  double  standard  of  ethics  in  the  Republic  of  God,  one  for  men 
and  another  for  groups  of  men,  and  believing  that  the  peace  movement  had 
assumed  a  place  of  chief  importance  in  the  great  reform  movements  of 
the  day,  the  officers  had  for  some  time  been  preparing  for  the  organizing 
of  a  permanent  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration,  modelled  on  the 
successful  Commission  on  the  Church  and  Social  Service.  When  the 
President  of  the  United  States  submitted  practically  unlimited  treaties 
of  arbitration  with  Great  Britain  and  France  to  the  United  States,  the 
opportune  time  came  to  create  this  Commission.  On  October  17,  1911,  it 
was  appointed  with  the  following  members: 

Rev.  Junius  B.  Remensnyder,  D.D.,  Chairman;  Hon.  Samuel  B.  Capen, 
LL.D. ;  James  M.  Farrar,  D.D. ;  Rt.  Rev.  David  H.  Greer,  D.D.;  Bishop 
Edwin  H.  Hughes,  D.D;  Charles  E.  Jefferson,  D.D. ;  J.  H.  Jowett,  D.D. ; 
Chancellor  J.  H.  Kirkland,  LL.D.;  Bishop  W.  R.  Lambuth,  D.D.;  Hon. 
William  M.  Lanning;  Rev.  Frederick  Lynch,  D.D. ;  Rev.  G.  A.  Miller;  Mr. 
Frank  Morrison;  Mr.  John  A.  Patten;  Hon.  Henry  Kirke  Porter,  M.C. ; 
Bishop  William  A.  Quayle,  D.D. ;  Henry  Wade  Rogers,  LL.D.;  Rev.  L.  E. 
Sellers;  Mr.  L.  H.  Severance;  Albert  K.  Smiley,  LL.D.;  Benjamin  F. 
Trueblood,  LL.D.;  Bishop  Alexander  Walters,  D.D.;  Mr.  James  Wood. 

These  members  constitute  the  Commission  at  the  present  time,  with 
the  exception  of  Judge  Lanning,  whose  death  we  record  with  sorrow  and 
whose  service  would  have  added  greatly  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  Com¬ 
mission. 

They  were  duly  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  Council,  Bishop 
Hendrix,  upon  recommendation  of  the  Executive  Committee,  to  serve  until 
this  Quadrennial  Council  could  take  action  appointing  such  a  body  as  one 
of  the  permament  Commissions  of  the  Council. 


10 


These  men  responded  heartily  to  the  call  for  immediate  work,  and  in 
co-operation  with  the  agencies  of  the  Carnegie  Endowment  for  International 
Peace,  soon  succeeded  in  reaching  every  church  in  the  United  States  with 
resolutions  and  with  appeals  to  the  United  States  Senate.  That  half  of 
that  conservative  body  was  persuaded  to  take  the  radical  step  of  voting 
for  an  unqualified  treaty  was  largely  due,  we  have  reasons  to  believe,  to 
the  work  of  this  Commission.  There  is  no  doubt  that  had  it  not  been 
for  political  jealousies,  and  the  active  opposition  of  Mr.  Roosevelt  to  un¬ 
limited  treaties,  the  treaties  would  have  been  ratified  by  a  large  majority, 
instead  of  having  been  emasculated  because  of  one  deciding  vote.  Of 
one  thing  we  are  sure,  the  churches  of  the  United  States  desired  the 
treaties.  They  flooded  Congress  with  petitions  and  personal  letters. 

The  treaties  were  not  ratified,  but  the  special  work  of  the  Commission 
has  secured  great  and  permanent  results.  It  has  awakened  thousands  of 
ministers  of  all  denominations  to  the  importance  of  the  Peace  Movement. 
The  Commission  secured  thousands  of  sermons  on  arbitration,  and  the 
establishment  of  a  permanent  Supreme  Court,  of  Nations.  Mrs.  Elmer 
Black,  of  her  own  initiative,  and  at  her  own  personal  expense,  secured 
several  thousand  sermons  at  the  same  time  on  her  “Unity  Sunday.”  The 
New  York  Peace  Society  also  addressed  all  the  churches.  With  both  Mrs. 
Black  and  the  New  York  Peace  Society,  the  Commission  worked  in  heartiest 
and  active  co-operation.  It  is  increasingly  evident  to  the  Commission,  from 
its  correspondence  and  from  reports  in  the  press,  that  because  of  these 
efforts  the  clergy  of  the  land  have  been  aroused  to  a  lasting  interest  in 
international  good-will. 

ORGANIZATION  AND  DEVELOPMENT 

Immediately  following  this,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Commission  called 
May  13,  1912,  by  the  National  Officers  of  the  Federal  Council,  the  Coun¬ 
cil’s  Secretary,  Dr.  Macfarland,  made  the  announcement  that  Mrs.  Black 
had  expressed  great  pleasure  with  the  work  done  under  purely  voluntary 
organization,  and  that  through  Mr.  Lynch  of  the  Commission,  she  offered 
$5,000  for  its  work,  with  the  understanding  that  it  should  organize  for 
effective  service. 

A  tentative  Committee  of  Direction,  consisting  of  Chairman  Remen- 
snyder,  Dr.  Henry  M.  Sanders,  Dr.  R.  D.  Lord  and  Secretary  Macfarland, 
was  elected  to  proceed  with  immediate  development.  The  entire  proceed¬ 
ings  were  unanimously  approved  by  a  referendum  vote  of  the  Commission. 

Secretary  Lynch  was  the  immediate  and  unanimous  choice  of  the  Com¬ 
mission  to  develop  a  work  in  which  he  has  already  had  such  conspicuous 
success.  His  recent  book,  “ The  Peace  Problem,”  was  having  a  wide  sale 
and  large  use  as  a  book  of  instruction  in  classes.  Dr.  Lynch,  following 
his  graduation  at  Yale  University  and  its  Divinity  School,  was  a  suc¬ 
cessful  pastor  and  preacher,  and  while  in  the  pastorate  in  New  York 
City,  was  identified  with  many  National  and  International  Movements, 
especially  with  those  for  the  furtherance  of  International  Peace.  He  was 
a  delegate  to  the  International  Peace  Congress  at  Munich  in  1908  and  to 
the  International  Peace  Congress  at  London  in  1909,  and  represented  the 


11 


New  7ork  Peace  Society  at  the  Second  Hague  Conference.  He  has  also 
been  a  delegate  to  all  the  National  Peace  Conferences  in  the  United  States. 

He  is  President  of  the  American-Scandinavian  Foundation,  a  Director 
of  the  New  York  Peace  Society,  and  is  also  upon  the  directorate  of  many 
other  important  movements  for  social  uplift. 

As  associate  editor  of  the  Christian  Work  and  Evangelist,  and  as  a 
wide  contributor  to  other  papers  and  magazines,  he  had,  as  editor  and 
author,  established  himself  in  a  leading  place  in  the  Peace  Movement,  and 
his  appointment  received  universal  assent. 

The  resources  of  the  Commission,  as  fast  as  secured,  are  being  used 
in  securing  the  services  of  the  Secretary  and  assistants  and  for  the 
distribution  of  literature,  and  the  placing  of  editorials  and  suggestive  news 
in  the  religious  papers  of  the  land,  securing  addresses  in  churches  and  in 
correspondence.  Copies  of  Mrs.  Black’s  brochure  “Civilize  the  Nations’ ’ 
have  been  judiciously  distributed,  and  Mr.  Carnegie  has,  of  his  own  action, 
bought  large  numbers  of  the  Secretary’s  volume,  written  with  clergymen 
especially  in  mind,  “The  Peace  Problem,”  and  sent  them  with  his  com¬ 
pliments  to  the  clergy  of  New  York.  The  Secretary  has  written  and 
secured  articles  which  have  appeared  almost  weekly  in  various  papers  of 
the  land.  Perhaps  the  most  valuable  work  of  all  has  been  the  corre¬ 
spondence.  The  Secretary  has  received  daily  letters  from  ministers  of  all 
denominations  asking  for  information  and  suggestions.  The  answering  of 
these  has  required  much  labor,  and  has  been,  perhaps,  the  most  fruitful 
work.  Our  Secretary  has  also  preached  every  Sunday  of  1912,  excepting  in 
the  summer  days,  in  large  churches  of  New  Y"ork  and  elsewhere,  on  inter¬ 
national  peace. 

The  Secretary  spent  the  months  of  September  and  October  in  Europe, 
meeting  the  influential  peace  workers  of  the  various  nations,  representing 
the  Federal  Council  Commission  at  the  great  congresses  of  the  Inter¬ 
parliamentary  Union  and  of  International  Peace  at  Geneva,  and  especially 
conferring  with  the  leaders  of  the  peace  movement  in  the  churches  of 
Great  Britain  and  Germany.  For  in  these  two  nations  the  churches  are 
also  being  aroused  to  the  momentousness  of  the  peace  movement.  There 
already  exist  some  6,000  members  in  the  Church  Peace  League  of  Great 
Britain  and  the  clergy  of  the  two  nations,  Great  Britain  and  Germany, 
are  working  together  most  earnestly  to  promote  good-will  between  the  two 
nations.  These  conferences  of  the  Secretary  had  been  preceded  by  other 
conferences  with  these  men  the  preceding  summer,  by  Dr.  Macfarland  in 
England  and  Germany,  and  by  other  members  of  the  Commission  with 
representatives  of  the  English  and  German  churches  on  their  visits  to 
America.  There  is  the  most  imperative  need  that  the  Churches  of  America 
work  in  heartiest  co-operation  with  the  churches  of  these  two  great  nations. 
They  need  us,  and  we  need  them. 

Several  luncheon  Conferences  have  been  held  during  the  year  in  New 
York,  including  one  to  the  Hon.  J.  Allan  Baker,  M.P.,  of  London,  Secretary 
of  the  Committee  on  Friendly  Relations  with  Germany,  in  connection  with 
the  Church  Peace  Movement,  and  another  to  Baron  Edouard  de  Neufville, 
Member  of  the  German  Committee  on  Friendly  Relations  with  England. 


12 


Such  personal  intervisitation  is  a  very  helpful  factor  in  the  whole 
work,  and  should  be  encouraged  and  continued. 

FUTURE  PLANS 

The  Commission  now  faces  1913,  and  has  the  following  immediate 
tasks  before  it: 

1.  The  formation  of  a  Church  Peace  League  in  America.  The  Federal 
Council  is  in  itself,  of  course,  a  great  peace  society  of  the  churches  of  the 
nation,  and  in  times  of  crisis  will  speak  for  all  of  the  churches.  But  we 
desire  to  enroll  the  names  of  those  ministers  and  church  workers  who  are 
especially  interested  in  the  movement  and  who  will  promise  to  preach 
annual  sermons  on  the  subject  and  who  desire  to  receive  the  excellent  lit¬ 
erature  published  by  the  various  peace  agencies  of  Washington  and  New 
York.  First  steps  for  the  formation  of  this  League  have  already  been 
taken.  Mrs.  Elmer  Black  of  New  York  has  kindly  offered  to  lend  it  her 
personal  and  financial  support.  The  Secretary  of  the  League  is  the  Secre¬ 
tary  of  the  Commission,  and  he  would  be  glad  to  enroll  any  minister  or 
church  worker  who  will  send  his  name  and  signify  his  desire  to  become 
a  member.  For  the  present  there  will  be  no  fee. 

2.  The  Commission  desires  to  make  greater  and  greater  use  of  the 
religious  press.  The  hearty  co-operation  of  editors  is  earnestly  desired. 
They  have  already  shown  much  interest  in  the  movement.  We  intend  to 
send  them  only  such  material  as  any  paper  will  be  glad  to  print.  But  as 
the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  more  and  more  becomes  representative  of 
the  varied  interests  of  the  churches,  it  will  have  to  look  to  the  religious 
press  to  become  the  medium  of  communication  between  the  two. 

3.  The  Commission  hopes  to  be  able  to  become  the  clearing  house  of 
the  Peace  Movement  for  the  Churches.  It  will  gladly  answer  all  letters 
referring  to  the  subject,  up  to  its  ability,  and  it  hopes  to  have  such  funds 
available  as  will  enable  it  to  send  literature  to  any  minister  writing  for  it. 

4.  The  Commission  hopes  to  be  able  to  answer  favorably,  more  and 
more,  the  requests  for  addresses  in  the  churches. 

5.  There  seems  to  be  a  widespread  feeling,  since  the  project  was  first 
suggested,  that  it  might  be  a  desirable  thing  to  hold  a  great  meeting  of 
the  churches  of  the  world  at  the  Hague,  immediately  preceding  the  Third 
Hague  Conference.  The  Commission  is  carefully  considering  the  suggestion. 

In  closing  this  report,  the  Commission  wishes  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
enthusiastic  support  the  peace  cause  has  always  received  from  the  Cor¬ 
responding  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council,  Dr.  Sanford,  and  the  hearty 
co-operation  the  Commission  has  enjoyed  from  him. 

It  is  recommended  that  the  Council  take  such  action  as  is  necessary, 
making  this  a  permanent  Commission  which  shall  be  empowered  to  fully 
represent  the  Council  in  this  important  mission  of  the  Churches  of  Christ. 

In  conclusion,  the  Commission  would  beg  to  be  allowed  to  make  the 
following  recommendations  to  the  Churches  of  the  United  States: 

1.  We  urgently  request,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  world  is  looking 
to  the  churches  for  leadership  in  the  Peace  Movement,  that  every  church 


13 


devote  one  Sunday  in  the  year  to  the  consideration  of  international  good¬ 
will.  Many  of  our  churches  are  already  using  the  Sunday  nearest  May  18th, 
the  date  of  the  calling  of  the  First  Hague  Conference,  as  Peace  Sunday, 
since  the  public  schools  of  the  land  quite  generally  observe  that  day.  Other 
churches  are  observing  the  Sunday  before  Christmas  as  Peace  Sunday.  We 
would  suggest  sermons  by  the  pastor  and  peace  exercises  by  the  children. 
The  Peace  Commission  will  gladly  furnish  literature  on  this  subject. 

2.  We  would  ask  the  pastors  and  members  of  our  churches  to  watch 
closely  the  action  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  whenever  measures 
are  introduced  looking  toward  international  good-will  or  vice  versa,  and 
that  they  write  personal  letters  to  the  senators  and  congressmen  from  their 
state  and  district,  urging  that  they  vote  from  the  Christian  point  of 
view.  Such  letters  have  great  weight. 

3.  We  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when  civilization  must  make 
choice  between  two  ways  for  the  future;  the  way  of  statesmanship,  or 
the  way  of  battleship;  the  old  way  of  settling  disputes  by  force  or  by 
the  new  way  of  settling  them  by  justice.  So  far  we  have  lived  by  the 
old  way  almost  exclusively.  There  are  many  who  are  now  clamoring  that 
we  persist  forever  in  that  way.  “Arm,”  they  say,  “for  there  is  no  other 
way.”  In  our  time,  a  great  throng  of  noble  men,  prophets,  statesmen, 
teachers,  poets,  yes,  business  men  and  men  of  all  callings,  have  seen  the 
vision  of  the  new  way,  the  way  of  the  Lord,  the  way  of  brotherhood, 
justice  and  good-will.  They  are  demanding  that  we  choose  international 
tribunals,  arbitration  treaties,  and  such  judicial  methods  as  Christian 
men  practice  among  themselves.  The  choice  must  be  made  soon,  and  once 
for  all,  or  militarism  will  gain  the  day.  We  call  upon  the  Christian  men 
and  women  of  the  nation  to  rise  at  this  time  and  demand  that  all  nations 
learn  again  the  first  principles  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  mem¬ 
bership  in  his  Kingdom  should  so  bind  them  together  in  mutual  love  and 
mutual  antagonism  to  the  common  foes  of  God  and  man,  that  the  thought 
of  engaging  with  each  other  in  deadly  combat  shall  become  abhorrent  and 
impossible  forever. 

4.  The  whole  world  has  been  shocked  and  horrified  at  the  carnage 
and  devastation  of  the  war  between  the  Balkan  States  and  Turkey.  While 
this  war  is  more  of  the  nature  of  a  civil  war  and  is  the  uprising  of  op¬ 
pressed  peoples  to  throw  off  a  no  longer  endurable  yoke,  yet  there  is  a 
feeling  among  many  students  of  international  politics,  that  had  there  been 
a  permanent  supreme  court  of  nations,  with  a  united  Europe  behind  it  and 
with  power  to  enforce  its  decisions,  that  even  this  war,  far  removed  as  it  is 
from  the  disputes  that  would  generally  come  before  a  permanent  court  of 
justice,  might  have  been  averted  and  Turkey  compelled  to  have  enforced 
her  promised  reforms.  The  Christian  churches  of  the  world  should  demand 
in  universal  and  unanimous  voice  that  the  Third  Hague  Conference,  create 
as  its  one  chief  task,  a  permanent  court,  representative  of  the  nations  of 
the  world,  to  which  oppressed  peoples  may  go  for  justice,  and  to  which  all 
disputes  now  settled  by  war  may  be  carried  by  the  nations  of  the  earth. 


14 


5.  We  present  the  following  comprehensive  resolution:  The  Council 
favors  the  organization  of  a  Church  Peace  League  in  America,  the  annual 
observance  of  Peace  Sunday  by  the  churches,  and  the  memorializing  of  the 
Third  Hague  Conference  in  behalf  of  the  establishment  of  a  permanent 
court  of  international  justice  and  the  adoption  of  such  other  measures  as 
shall  render  war  unnecessary  and  impossible.  It  calls  upon  Christian  men 
and  women  to  unite  in  a  demand  that  the  teaching  and  spirit  of  Jesus  be 
applied  in  international  relations  by  our  national  Congress  and  Department 
of  State. 

Said  James  A.  MacDonald  of  the  Toronto  Globe ,  addressing 
the  Federal  Council  on  this  occasion : 

“The  crisis  in  the  world  situation  requires  that  the  churches  of 
America  shall  Christianize  not  only  the  nations  and  peoples,  but  shall 
civilize  and  Christianize  international  relations.  America,  Britain,  Ger¬ 
many — these  three  great  nations  calling  themselves  Christians,  are  in  their 
international  areas  still  half  civilized  and  half  Pagan.  They  all  subscribe 
to  the  doctrines  of  international  peace  and  pay  dignified  respect  to  the 
theory  of  independent  international  arbitration,  but  as  an  aid  to  diplomacy 
even  among  themselves  they  maintain  huge  and  costly  armies  and  navies. 

“As  a  Canadian  I  make  appeal  to  this  great  Federal  Council  of 

American  Christianity.  Is  not  the  time  come  for  the  redemption  of  di¬ 

plomacy  from  studied  deceit?  Is  it  not  pathetic  that  the  three  great 
Protestant  countries  are  foremost  in  the  mad  race  of  armament? 

“Who  is  to  take  unmistakable  stand  for  a  national  honor  nobler  than 
the  honor  of  the  heathen  and  the  barbarian?  Surely  America.  Here 
it  was  the  oppressed  of  Europe  and  Asia  found  their  new  hope.  This  new 
nation  should  lead  the  new  way. 

“In  America’s  power  for  the  peace  of  the  world,  Canada  must  also 
count  for  one.  Nay,  more.  If  the  United  States  really  means  to  do  the 
greatest  thing  in  world  politics,  Canada  will  count  for  more  than  one. 

Canada  stands  on  this  continent  the  bond  of  union  between  the  mother 

country  and  the  sister  republic,  the  greatest  empire  and  the  greatest 
republic  in  all  history.  And  this  is  Canada’s  ambition,  to  hold  these  twain 
in  one  pact  of  peace,  pledged  not  to  each  other  alone,  but  to  all  the 
world  in  the  service  of  world  honor,  of  world  freedom  and  of  world  peace. 

“And  not  America  and  Britain  alone,  but  Germany  as  well.  Surely 
it  is  time  the  Teuton  blood  in  these  three  nations  proved  itself  thicker 
than  water.  Surely  the  common  heritage  in  the  faith  and  life  of  the 
Reformation  is  stronger  to  bind  than  is  vulgar  and  selfish  ambition  to 
break?  Is  it  not  time  you  joined  hands  with  your  brethren  to  lift  this 
insufferable  mountain  of  international  suspicion  and  fear  forever  out  of 
the  way?  The  churches  of  America,  Britain  and  Germany  can  create  a 
Triple  Alliance  of  Christian  Peace  against  which  the  powers  of  darkness 
cannot  prevail. 

“And  if  America,  Britain  and  Germany,  then  France,  that  has  long 
been  ready,  and  Japan  that  waits  to  lead  the  East.  It  can  be  done  if  the 


15 


Churches  of  Christ  but  believe  in  the  Christ  they  profess  and  stand  loyal 
to  the  Evangel  He  came  to  proclaim.  His  ideal,  His  standard,  His  motive, 
His  inspiration — make  these  to  prevail  in  men  and  in  nations,  and  the 
social  problem  on  the  world  scale  will  be  solved.  To  do  this  thing  is  at  once 
the  duty  and  the  hope  of  the  forces  of  the  Church  as  gathered  in  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America.” 


RELATIONS  WITH  MEXICO 

The  moment  it  became  apparent  that  there  was  danger  of  war 
with  Mexico  the  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration  called  its 
members  together  by  telegram  on  April  21,  and  sent  forth  its  utter¬ 
ance  in  these  words : 

“We,  representatives  of  the  federated  forces  of  seventeen  million  Chris¬ 
tians  in  the  United  States,  desire  to  put  on  record  our  steadfast  friend¬ 
ship  for  the  Mexican  people,  and  to  express  our  sympathy  with  them  in  the 
disorders  which  now  trouble  their  country.  That  a  way  out  of  their  dis¬ 
tresses  may  be  found  is  our  earnest  and  constant  hope.  We  wish  them 
prosperity  and  peace. 

“We  wish  further  to  express  our  conviction  that  the  thought  of  war 
between  Mexico  and  the  United  States  is  abhorrent  to  the  vast  majority  of 
our  people.  The  citizens  of  our  Republic  want  no  war  with  our  southern 
neighbor,  nor  do  they  desire  to  dominate  it,  or  to  interfere  with  its  internal 
affairs,  but  on  the  other  hand  they  desire  cordial  relations  and  friendly 
intercourse. 

“We  rejoice  that  in  our  President  and  our  Secretary  of  State  we  have 
men  who  are  lovers  of  peace,  and  whose  purpose  it  is  to  maintain  peace, 
if  at  all  possible,  not  only  with  Mexico  but  with  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  That  the  purpose  of  our  President  and  his  Councillors  shall  be 
carried  out  is  not  only  our  hope,  but  our  confident  expectation. 

“We  wish  to  assure  our  representatives  and  senators  at  Washington 
that  the  voices  clamoring  for  war  do  not  represent  the  sentiment  of  the 
sane  and  substantial  people  of  our  Republic,  and  we  would  remind  them 
that  the  few  newspapers  which  would  hurry  the  government  to  extreme 
measures  are  voicing  the  wishes,  not  of  patriotic  and  disinterested  citizens, 
but  of  mischiefmakers  and  of  certain  vested  interests  whose  aggrandizement 
is  furthered  by  war. 

“  ‘Blessed  are  the  peacemakers’ — so  we  believe — and  we  are  confident 
that  the  glory  of  the  present  administration  will  be  enhanced  and  its  fame 
augmented,  not  by  the  slaughter  of  tens  of  thousands  of  the  young  men 
of  the  two  republics,  but  by  the  peaceful  solution  of  a  difficult  and  vexing 
problem,  by  the  forbearance  and  long-suffering  and  calm  wisdom  of  a 
Christian  statesmanship.” 

It  was 

“Voted,  That  the  Secretary,  Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  be  in¬ 
structed  to  convey  these  resolutions  to  the  President  of  the  United  States 
both  by  telegram  and  letter;  that  they  also  be  conveyed  to  the  Secretary 

16 


of  State;  to  the  President’s  cabinet;  to  all  members  of  Congress;  to  the 
Religious  Press;  and  to  the  members  of  the  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbi¬ 
tration,  with  the  request  that  the  members  not  present  at  the  meeting 
authorize  the  action  taken  at  this  meeting.” 

Immediately  after  this  the  following  letter  was  mailed  to 
50,000  pastors : 

April  30,  1914. 

Dear  Friend: 

The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  in  co¬ 
operation  with  the  various  peace  organizations,  recommends  that  the  Sun¬ 
day  nearest  the  anniversary  of  the  first  Hague  Conference  be  observed  by 
all  the  churches.  The  churches  of  Great  Britain  have  taken  similar  action 
and  the  public  schools  of  the  United  States  are  observing  May  18th  as 
Peace  Day. 

Will  you  take  Sunday,  May  17th,  as  an  opportunity  to  speak  upon 
the  movement  to  substitute  judicial  methods  in  place  of  warfare,  arbitration 
instead  of  battles,  good  will  and  brotherly  co-operation  for  national  selfish¬ 
ness,  hatred,  and  disorder? 

The  last  two  years  have  witnessed  some  sad  examples  of  conflict, 
lust,  and  human  hatred.  Over  three  hundred  thousand  have  been  killed 
in  the  Balkan  States  and  during  this  very  year  thousands  of  women  and 
little  children  have  frozen  and  starved  to  death  and  in  the  end  all  con¬ 
cerned  are  infinitely  worse  off  than  ever  before.  The  Balkan  affair  is  a 
striking  exhibition  of  the  futility  of  war  as  a  means  of  settling  inter¬ 
national  disputes  and  securing  the  common  weal.  The  unspeakable  atroc¬ 
ities  of  these  two  years  of  carnage  should  surely  convince  Christian  people 
that  war  is  contrary  to  a  Christian  civilization. 

On  the  other  hand  there  is  a  great  world-wide  movement  for  world 
peace.  The  Federal  Council  has  entered  upon  a  peace  campaign,  inter¬ 
national  in  scope  and  reaching  to  the  antipodes.  The  Council  has  se¬ 
cured  the  services  of  Rev.  Sidney  L.  Gulick  of  Japan,  to  assist  in  work 
directed  by  a  Committee  on  Relations  with  Japan,  which  is  to  take  up 
this  question  of  international  and  race  relationships  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  Christian  gospel.  The  plans  of  this  Committee  are  of  great 
moment. 

We  urge  that  you  speak  more  emphatically  than  ever  this  year. 
Churches  in  other  parts  of  the  world  are  awakening  and  are  calling  to  us, 
as  the  enclosed  appeal  from  our  sister  churches  in  Switzerland  reveals. 

Last  May  about  twenty-five  thousand  sermons  were  preached.  We 
hope  this  year  for  seventy-five  thousand. 

We  are  sending  some  literature  under  another  cover,  more  of  which 
may  be  obtained  on  application.  Please  have  your  sermon  fully  reported 
in  your  newspapers  and  send  copies  to  us.  Have  your  papers  print  this 
letter  also. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Charles  S.  Macfarland,  Secretary. 
postscript 

In  this  time  of  crisis  we  need  to  pray  earnestly  for  the  wisdom  of 
God  to  direct  us  as  a  nation.  Will  you  not,  therefore,  in  connection  with 
your  services,  turn  the  hearts  of  your  people  to  prayer,  earnestly  beseeching 
God  to  guide  both  the  United  States  and  Mexico  to  a  peaceful  solution 
of  the  difficulties  existing  between  them. 


17 


The  Federal  Council  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration 
consists  of  the  following  representatives  of  the  thirty  denomina¬ 
tions  in  the  Federal  Council: 


Rev.  J.  B.  Remensnyder,  Chairman 
Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland, 

Secretary 

Rev.  Peter  Ainslie 
Rev.  Charles  F.  Aked 
William  C.  Allen 
M.  F.  Ansel 
Pres.  B.  W.  Anthony 
Rev.  W.  E.  Barton 
Bishop  J.  W.  Bashford 
Bishop  William  M.  Bell 
Rev.  W.  C.  Bitting 
Mrs.  Elmer  Black 
Bishop  G.  L.  Blackwell 
Rev.  H.  S.  Bliss 
Rev.  Howard  A.  Bridgman 
Pres.  S.  P.  Brooks 
Rev.  Arthur  J.  Brown 
William  Jennings  Bryan 
Rev.  L.  L.  Campbell 
Rev.  Francis  E.  Clark 
Rev.  S.  S.  Conger 
Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin 
Rev.  Edwin  Heyl  Delk 
Rev.  James  F.  Dickie 
Rev.  Plato  T.  Durham 
Charles  W.  Fairbanks 
Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  Fallows 
Pres.  W.  H.  P.  Faunce 
Rev.  J.  H.  Garrison 
Rev.  H.  A.  Gerdsen 
Rt.  Rev.  David  H.  Greer 
Rev.  N.  B.  Grubb 
Rev.  Roy  B.  Guild 
Bishop  John  W.  Hamilton 
Joseph  Hamilton 
Rev.  William  I.  Haven 
J.  N.  Haymaker 
Bishop  E.  R.  Hendrix 
Rev.  Caspar  W.  Hiatt 
Hamilton  Holt 
Edward  H.  Hume,  M.D. 

Rev.  Robert  A.  Hume 
Rev.  John  A.  Ingham 


Rev.  Thomas  N.  Ivey 

Rev.  Charles  E.  Jefferson 

Charles  E.  Jennings 

Rev.  J.  H.  Jowett 

Chancellor  J.  H.  Kirkland 

Rev.  James  S.  Kittell 

Bishop  W.  R.  Lambuth 

Rev.  Albert  G.  Lawson 

Rt.  Rev.  Morris  W.  Leibert 

Eugene  Levering 

Charles  S.  Lobinger 

Rev.  D.  A.  Long 

Rev.  Rivington  D.  Lord 

Rev.  F.  P.  Lykes 

Rev.  Frederick  Lynch 

Rev.  Robert  Stuart  MacArthur 

Rev.  J.  K.  McClurkin 

W.  N.  McFaul 

Rev.  Malcolm  J.  MacLeod 

Thomas  C.  MacMillan 

Prof.  Wallace  MacMullen 

Rev.  J.  C.  Martin 

George  W.  Marston 

Rev.  Mark  A.  Matthews 

Rev.  D.  M.  Metzger 

Rev.  George  A.  Miller 

Joseph  B.  Moore 

Rev.  W.  W.  Moore 

Frank  Morrison 

John  R.  Mott 

Rev.  Philip  S.  Moxom 

John  A.  Patten 

Rev.  W.  R.  Pettiford 

Rev.  J.  M.  Phillipi 

Rev.  Jacob  Pister 

George  A.  Plimpton 

Henry  Kirke  Potter 

Bishop  William  A.  Quayle 

Rev.  Wallace  Radcliffe 

Fred  W.  Ramsey 

Rev.  J.  B.  Remensnyder 

Rev.  M.  W.  Rhodes 

Prof.  Henry  Wade  Rogers 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Sanders 


18 


Rev.  J.  U.  Schneider 
Rev.  Frank  S.  Scudder 
Rev.  L.  E.  Sellers 
Bishop  Cornelius  T.  Shaffer 
William  H.  Short 
Daniel  F.  Smiley 
Bishop  U.  F.  Swengel 
Rt.  Rev.  Ethelbert  Talbot 
Rev.  John  T.  Thomas 
David  E.  Titsworth 
Benjamin  F.  Trueblood 
Rev.  Ame  Vennema 
Rev.  J.  A.  Walker 


William  H.  Wallace 
Bishop  Alexander  Walters 
Rev.  William  Hayes  Ward 
Rev.  W.  H.  Washinger 
Prin.  Booker  T.  Washington 
Bishop  R.  G.  Waterhouse 
Rev.  Aquilla  Webb 
Rev.  R.  J.  White 
Amos  P.  Wilder 
Bishop  Luther  B.  Wilson 
F.  Hollingsworth  Wood 
James  Wood 
Pres.  Mary  E.  Woolley 


RELATIONS  WITH  JAPAN 

The  nature  of  the  intimate  and  delicate  relations  between 
Japan  and  America  being  of  special  significance,  another  Com¬ 
mission  has  been  appointed : 

The  general  scope  of  its  service  is  defined  as  the  “  Study  of 
the  entire  question  of  the  application  of  the  teachings  of  Christ  to 
our  relations  with  Japan,  and  the  promotion  of  such  influences 
and  activities  as  shall  lead  to  the  right  relationship  between  the 
peoples  of  these  two  countries.” 

This  action  has  been  taken  in  response  to  memorials  received 
from  American  missionaries  in  Japan  and  after  due  deliberation 
by  a  preliminary  Committee  of  Twenty,  appointed  last  December 
at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee,  acting  jointly 
with  the  Administrative  Committee. 

The  memorial  dated  June  6,  1913,  from  the  Japan  Mission 
of  the  American  Board,  reads  as  follows : 

“Whereas,  The  universal  establishment  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  re¬ 
quires  the  attainment  of  right  relations  between  nations  on  a  basis  of 
justice  and  equality;  and 

“Whereas,  The  effective  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom 
in  Japan  depends  closely  on  the  maintenance  of  friendly  relations  between 
the  peoples  of  Japan  and  the  United  States;  and 

“Whereas,  The  presence  on  the  Pacific  Coast  of  a  large  number  of 
Japanese  laborers  is  the  cause  of  difficulties  that  from  time  to  time  give 
rise  to  discriminating  race  legislation  tending  to  disturb  the  historical 
friendship  of  these  two  countries;  and 


19 


“Whereas.  Unfriendly  race  legislation  is  likely  to  be  repeatedly  at¬ 
tempted  so  long  as  the  difficulty  is  not  met  by  some  thoroughgoing  solu¬ 
tion  ;  therefore, 

“Resolved,  That  this  Mission  appeals  to  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Cnurches  of  Christ  in  America,  suggesting 

( 1 )  That  it  appoint  a  Commission  to  study  this  whole  question  in 
its  relation  to  the  teaching  of  Christ;  and 

(2)  That  it  seek  to  rally  the  Christian  forces  of  the  United  States  for 
the  solution  of  this  problem  and  for  the  promoting  of  such  measures  as  are 
in  accord  with  the  highest  standards  of  Christian  statesmanship.” 

Although  the  memorial  from  the  missionaries  of  Japan  was 
received  last  summer,  the  first  opportunity  for  its  serious  con¬ 
sideration  did  not  come  until  the  regular  annual  meeting  of  the 
Executive  Committee  last  December.  At  that  time  Professor 
Sidney  L.  Gulick  of  the  American  Board’s  Japan  Mission  presented 
the  situation  from  the  standpoint  of  missionaries  in  Japan.  With¬ 
out  waiting  for  the  final  decision  of  the  Federal  Council  Executive 
Committee,  a  temporary  Committee  of  Three  (Charles  S.  Mac- 
farland,  Robert  E.  Speer  and  W.  B.  Millar)  was  at  once  appointed, 
under  whose  auspices  arrangements  were  made  enabling  Professor 
Gulick  to  speak  before  representative  bodies  in  many  of  our  lead¬ 
ing  cities  (Washingfon,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  New 
Haven,  Hartford,  Springfield,  Northampton,  Boston,  Syracuse, 
Buffalo,  Cleveland,  Oherlin,  Toledo,  Chicago,  Minneapolis,  St. 
Paul,  Duluth,  Superior,  Kansas  City,  and  St.  Louis) ,  several 
cities  being  visited  more  than  once.  Between  the  first  of  January 
and  the  thirtieth  of  April  he  made  over  one  hundred  addresses, 
many  of  them  before  Chambers  of  Commerce,  Trade  Associations, 
and  Men’s  Clubs,  as  well  as  in  churches  and  colleges.  He  was 
also  granted  personal  interviews  by  leading  citizens,  among  them 
being  President  Wilson,  Secretary  Bryan,  and  Senators  Dilling¬ 
ham,  Burton  and  Smith.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the 
courtesy  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Immigration  for  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  given  Professor  Gulick  to  speak  on  America’s  Oriental  prob¬ 
lem  and  the  new  immigration  proposal  which  he  is  making. 

His  experiences  during  these  months  show  that  the  responsible 
leaders  of  our  national  life  desire  earnestly  to  place  our  interna¬ 
tional  relations  with  the  Orient,  and  just  now  with  Japan,  on  a 

20 


satisfactory  and  friendly  basis.  The  seriousness  of  our  Oriental 
problem  due  to  the  awakening  of  Asia  is  widely  appreciated. 


The  Commission  on  Japan 
the  following  persons : 

Rev.  Charles  R.  Brown 
Prof.  Charles  R.  Henderson 
Hamilton  Holt 
Rev.  Albert  G.  Lawson 
Bishop  Francis  J.  McConnell 
Rev.  Frank  Mason  North 
Robert  E.  Speer 
Hon.  Amos  P.  Wilder 


as  thus  far  appointed  consists  of 

John  M.  Glenn 
Rev.  William  I.  Haven 
Bishop  E.  R.  Hendrix 
Prof.  Jeremiah  W.  Jenks 
Rev.  Frederick  Lynch 
John  R.  Mott 
Rev.  Doremus  Scudder 
Pres.  George  E.  Vincent 


Not  only  has  the  Federal  Council  appointed  this  new  Com¬ 
mission,  but  it  has  arranged  with  the  American  Board  for  the 
release  of  Professor  Gulick  in  order  that  he  may  continue  this  work 
from  now  on  under  the  supervision  of  the  new  Commission  of 
Fifteen.  The  Federal  Council,  through  its  Commission  on  Rela¬ 
tions  with  Japan,  proposes  to  study  the  whole  question  of  our  rela¬ 
tions  with  Japan  from  the  standpoint  of  the  teachings  of  Christ, 
in  order  to  find  out  what  steps,  if  any,  should  be  taken  to  put  our 
two  peoples  in  right  relations.  The  first  duty  of  the  Commission 
is  to  get  at  the  exact  facts.  Only  after  careful  examination  will  it 
attempt  to  formulate  a  policy  or  a  program,  should  such  seem  to  be 
needed. 

The  so-called  Japanese  Problem  is  but  one  phase  of  the  vastly 
larger  and  more  important  question  of  the  contact  of  the  races. 
The  Commission  proposes  to  look  at  this  whole  question  in  the 
largest  and  most  statesmanlike  manner. 

These  actions  of  the  Federal  Council  are  the  more  opportune 
because  the  churches  and  missions  of  Japan  have  just  started  on 
a  three-year,  nationwide,  union,  evangelistic  campaign.  Not  only 
will  this  new  undertaking  of  the  Federal  Council  be  welcomed  by  the 
Christians  of  Japan,  but  Japanese  statesmen,  educators,  editors,  and 
indeed  the  rank  and  file  of  the  people  will  welcome  it  as  a  sign  of 
the  earnest  intention  of  the  best  elements  of  our  nation,  first  to 
know  the  exact  situation,  and  then  to  do  the  right  thing.  It  will 
be  regarded  thus  as  an  evidence  of  real  friendship  between  our 
peoples. 


21 


The  President  of  the  Federal  Council  has  been  selected  to 
go  to  Japan  this  year  as  an  ambassador  to  the  people  of  Japau 
from  the  Churches  of  America.  With  him  will  be  associated  a 
delegation  of  other  representatives.  The  Commission  has  already 
begun  its  investigation  and  has  planned  it  carefully  and  thoroughly. 

THE  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE  TREATY  OF  GHENT 

Report  of  Committee,  December,  1913 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Federal  Council  in 
December  last,  a  resolution  was  adopted  authorizing  the  Chairman  to 
appoint  a  Committee  of  Eleven  to  organize  a  large  Committee  of  a  hundred 
or  more  representatives  of  all  Protestant  Churches,  to  co-operate  in  the 
celebration  of  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  Ghent  Treaty  of  Peace. 
The  Committee  of  Eleven  met  under  the  auspices  of  the  Peace  Commission, 
and  organized  by  the  election  of  a  Chairman  and  Secretary,  and  proceeded 
to  form  a  Committee  whose  names  are  printed  on  pp.  24-27  of  the  pamphlet 
of  the  American  Committee.  The  new  Committee  expects  to  begin  active 
work  with  the  beginning  of  the  New  Year.  It  consists  as  follows: 

COMMITTEE  REPRESENTING  EVANGELICAL  CHURCHES  UNDER  THE  AUSPICES 

OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

Chairman — Rev.  H.  K.  Carroll. 

Secretary — Rev.  Frederick  Lynch. 

Federal  Council — Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland. 

Baptist  Northern  Convention. 

Rev.  William  C.  Bitting,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  J.  Whitcomb  Brougher,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Pres.  E.  B.  Bryan,  Llamilton,  N.  Y. 

Pres.  W.  H.  P.  Faunce,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Rev.  Samuel  H.  Greene,  Washington,  D.  G. 

Charles  E.  Hughes,  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  Washington,  D  C. 

Pres.  Harry  P.  Judson,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Rev.  Albert  G.  Lawson,  New  York. 

Baptist — Southern  Convention. 

J.  Taylor  Ellyson,  Richmond,  Va. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Gambrell,  Dallas,  Tex. 

Eugene  Levering,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Pres.  E.  Y.  Mullins,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Fred  M.  Paxton,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Pitt,  Richmond,  Va. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Poteat,  Greenville,  S.  C. 

E.  W.  Stephens,  Co-lumbia,  Mo. 


22 


Baptist — Free. 

Rev.  Rivington  D.  Lord,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Pres.  J.  W.  Mauck,  Hillsdale,  Mich. 

Baptist — Seventh  Day. 

Rev.  Edwin  Shaw,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Congregational  Churches. 

Simeon  E.  Baldwin,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Samuel  B.  Capen,  Boston,  Mass. 

W.  Murray  Crane,  Dalton,  Mass. 

Rev.  H.  C.  Herring,  New  York. 

Rev.  Charles  E.  Jefferson,  New  York. 

Rev.  Frederick  Lynch,  New  York. 

Pres.  William  F.  Slocum,  Colorado  Springs,  (Jol 

Christian  Connection. 

Pres.  D.  A.  Long,  Merom,  Ind. 

Pres.  P.  W.  McReynolds,  Defiance,  O. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Rev.  W.  H.  Brooks,  New  York. 

George  W.  Brown,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  H.  K.  Carroll,  New  York. 

Chancellor  James  R.  Day,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  George  P.  Eckman,  New  York. 

E.  R.  Graham,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Bishop  J.  W.  Hamilton,  Boston,  Mass. 

Pres.  A.  W.  Harris,  Evanston,  Ill. 

Bishop  E.  H.  Hughes,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Rev.  Charles  B.  Mitchell,  Chicago,  Ill. 

Rev.  Ward  Platt,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Prof.  Henry  Wade  Rogers,  New  York  City. 

S.  Earl  Taylor,  New  York. 

Rev.  F.  B.  Upham,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Bishop  Luther  B.  Wilson,  New  York. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church ,  South. 

Bishop  W.  A.  Candler,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Bishop  E.  R.  Hendrix,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
Chancellor  J.  H.  Kirkland,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Lee,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

John  R.  Pepper,  Memphis,  Tenn. 

Rev.  F.  J.  Prettyman,  Chaplain  U.  S.  Senate. 
Pres.  H.  N.  Snyder,  Spartansburg,  S.  C. 

Bishop  R.  G.  Waterhouse,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Rev.  W.  J.  Young,  Richmond,  Va. 


23 


Methodist  Protestant 

Eev.  F.  T.  Benson,  Crisfield,  Md. 

Rev.  F.  T.  Little,  Baltimore,  Md. 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church. 
Bishop  Alexander  Walters,  New  York. 

Moravian  Church. 

Rt.  Rev.  M.  W.  Leibert,  New  York. 

Presbyterian  Church  in  TJ.  S.  A.  (Northern.) 

Rev.  Arthur  J.  Brown,  New  York. 

Rev.  Walter  Laidlaw,  New  York. 

Rev.  M.  A.  Mathews,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Rev.  Samuel  J.  Nicolls,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  Wallace  Radcliffe,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Rev.  William  H.  Roberts,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Rev.  Charles  L.  Thompson,  New  York. 

Presbyterian  Church  in  TJ.  8.  ( Southern ) . 

Rev.  Russel  Cecil,  Richmond,  Va. 

Rev.  J.  Horace  Lacy,  Winchester,  Va. 

Disciples  of  Christ. 

Rev.  Peter  Ainslie,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Garrison,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Goldner,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rev.  H.  D.  C.  Maclachlan,  Richmond,  Va. 
Rev.  Carey  E.  Morgan,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Rev.  Allen  B.  Philputt,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Rev.  Russel  F.  Thrapp,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Rev.  Earl  Wilfley,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Evangelical  Association. 

Bishop  Samuel  P.  Spreng,  Naperville,  Ind. 
Rev.  Fred  W.  Voegelein,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Friends. 

William  C.  Dennis,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Addison  W.  Naylor,  Berkeley,  Cal. 

James  Wood,  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  Y. 

Lutheran — General  Synod. 

Prof.  David  Bauslin,  Springfield,  Ohio. 
Rev.  Ezra  K.  Bell,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Remensnyder,  New  York. 

Charles  Unangst,  New  York. 


24 


Lutheran — General  Council. 

Pres.  John  A.  W.  Haas,  Allentown,  Pa. 
William  H.  Hagar,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Rev.  John  J.  Heischman,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Charles  A.  Schieren,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


Lutheran — Synodical  Conf. 

Rev.  C.  Gausenwitz,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Rev.  Francis  Pieper,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  William  Schoenfeldt,  New  York. 

Lutheran  United  Synod,  South. 

Rev.  J.  A.  Morehead,  Salem,  Va. 

Lutheran — Ohio  Synod. 

Prof.  George  H.  Schodde,  Columbus,  0. 

Lutheran — Iowa  Synod. 

Prof.  F.  Richter,  Clinton,  Iowa. 

Lutheran — United  Norwegian  Synod. 

Rev.  T.  H.  Dahl,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Rt.  Rev.  William  Lawrence,  Boston,  Mass. 
Rev.  Frank  M.  Crouch,  New  York. 

Rt.  Rev.  C.  P.  Anderson,  Chicago,  Ill. 

H.  D.  W.  English,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Rev.  Charles  K.  Gilbert,  New  York. 

John  M.  Glenn,  New  York. 

Clinton  Rogers  Woodruff,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Reformed  Church  in  America. 

Rev.  David  James  Burrell,  New  York. 

Reformed  Church  in  U  S. 

John  W.  Appel,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Rev.  James  I.  Good,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Rev.  George  W.  Richards,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church. 

Rt.  Rev.  Robert  L.  Rudolph,  New  York. 


25 


United  Brethren  in  Christ. 


Bishop  G.  M.  Mathews,  Chicago,  Ill. 
Pres.  M.  R.  Drury,  Philomath,  Oregon. 


United  Evangelical  Church. 

Bishop  U.  F.  Swengel,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


United  Presbyterian  Church. 

Rev.  W.  E.  McCulloch,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Rev.  W.  I.  Wishart,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland  is  a  member  of  the  general  American 
Committee,  and  also  of  its  Executive  Committee. 

The  following  action  is  recommended: 

“Whekeas,  The  American  Committee  on  the  celebration  of  the  com¬ 
pletion  of  one  hundred  years  of  peace  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States,  since  the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of  Ghent  on  Christmas 
Eve,  1814,  has  asked  the  co-operation  of  the  Churches  in  the  great  and 
elaborate  preparations  in  progress  to  make  this  event  memorable  in  the 
relationship  of  nations,  be  it 

“Resolved,  That  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America,  representing  thirty  denominations  and  many  millions  of  church¬ 
men,  enter  into  the  preparation  of  this  anniversary  celebration  with  the 
heartiest  concord  and  that  it  urges  the  Committee  already  created  to  take 
such  steps  as  may  be  necessary  to  secure  the  active  participation  of  every 
church  in  the  nation  in  this  celebration,  by  the  preaching  of  sermons,  by 
exercises  of  the  children,  and  by  such  other  methods  as  may  seem  desirable. 

“Resolved,  Further  that  the  Federal  Council,  while  rejoicing  over 
the  hundred  years  of  unbroken  peace  with  Great  Britain,  and  while  calling 
attention  to  the  fact  that  the  two  great  countries  of  the  United  States 
and  Canada  with  three  thousand  miles  of  boundary  between  them  have  been 
able  to  keep  peace  without  either  fort  or  battleship,  this  body  representing 
almost  all  the  Evangelical  Christians  of  the  United  States,  would  urge  that 
this  century  of  peace  be  made  lasting  and  be  assured  by  the  signing  of  a 
treaty  of  arbitration  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  agreeing 
that  all  disputes  that  may  hereafter  arise  which  cannot  be  settled  by 
diplomacy  shall  be.  submitted  to  judicial  decision  by  arbitration  in  the 
Christian  spirit,  and  that  the  nations  learn  war  no  more.” 

The  above  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Fed¬ 
eral  CounciFs  Executive  Committee. 

Arrangements  are  now  being  made  whereby  this  Committee 
will  act  with  the  Church  Peace  Union. 


26 


THE  PANAMA-PACIFIC  EXPOSITION 

The  Federal  Council  has  appointed  a  Committee  of  One  Hun¬ 
dred  to  conduct  an  extensive  campaign  in  San  Francisco  during 
the  Exposition,  including  work  among  all  races  and  peoples,  and 
providing  for  special  meetings  and  a  Congress  in  the  interests  of 
International  Peace,  to  which  the  Church  Peace  Union  has  been 
invited  to  give  its  influence,  support  and  co-operation. 

OTHER  PLANS 

The  Federal  Council  has  under  advisement  the  calling  of  a 
World  Congress  of  the  Evangelical  Churches,  and  through  its 
Commission  on  Foreign  Missions,  is  arranging  for  a  closer  relation 
between  the  churches  of  America  and  the  peoples  of  all  nations. 
Through  this  Commission  the  federated  churches  of  America  are 
brought  into  relationship  with  the  federations  of  churches  in  many 
other  countries,  and  at  the  present  moment  an  uppermost  theme 
in  foreign  missions  is  that  of  International  Peace.  The  Chairman 
of  the  Commission,  Dr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  is  a  trustee  of  the  Church 
Peace  Union  and  has  been  invited  by  the  churches  in  Japan  to 
visit  that  nation  during  the  coming  year. 

Other  voluntary  movements,  notably  the  Student  and  Interna¬ 
tional  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  Movements,  the  Lay¬ 
men’s  Missionary  Movement,  and  the  United  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  whose  President,  Rev.  Francis  E.  Clark,  is  a  Church 
Peace  Union  trustee,  are  rendering  important  service.  Other 
movements  for  Christian  unity,  led  by  such  men  as  Rev.  William 
H.  Roberts,  Chairman  of  the  Federal  Council  Commission  on 
Evangelism,  Rev.  Peter  Ainslie,  a  trustee  of  the  Church  Peace 
Union  and  Chairman  of  the  Federal  Council  Commission  on  Sun¬ 
day  Observance,  are  drawing  the  nations  as  well  as  the  churches 
together. 

The  Federal  Council  Commission  on  the  Church  and  Social 
Service,  one  of  whose  associate  secretaries,  Rev.  Samuel  Z.  Batten, 
is  a  delegate  to  this  Conference,  includes  several  denominational 
Committees  on  Peace,  and  through  its  fraternal  relations  with  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor,  is  helping  a  two-fold  unifying 
movement  of  the  religious  and  labor  causes  which  is  sure  to  be  of 
great  effect.  Frank  Morrison,  Secretary  of  the  American  Federa¬ 
tion  of  Labor,  is  a  member  of  the  Federal  Council  Commissions 
on  Peace  and  Arbitration  and  the  Church  and  Social  Service.  A 


27 


campaign  of  the  Commission  on  the  Church  and  Social  Service 
for  One  Day  in  Seven  for  Industrial  Workers  is  of  necessity  be¬ 
coming  international. 

A  delegate  to  this  Conference,  Rev.  Henry  C.  Minton,  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council,  have  been  commissioned  by  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Panama-Pacific  Exposition  Lord’s 
Day  Congress  to  negotiate  with  the  European  organizations  this 
summer  in  this  interest,  and  the  Chairman  of  the  Federal  Council 
Commission  on  Temperance,  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  was  last  year 
a  delegate  to  the  International  Congress  on  this  question  at  Milan. 

The  Commission  on  Religious  Education,  consisting  of  repre¬ 
sentatives  of  all  the  denominational  boards,  has  authorized  its 
Secretary,  Rev.  Henry  H.  Meyer,  to  prepare  courses  to  be  recom¬ 
mended  to  the  Sunday  Schools  and  other  classes  on  International 
Peace,  and  a  Joint  Commission  on  Theological  Seminaries  ap¬ 
pointed  by  the  Federal  Council  will  include  this  subject  in  its  pro¬ 
posals  for  instruction  in  the  theological  seminaries. 

The  work  of  John  R.  Mott  in  his  world-travels  has  strongly 
bound  together  large  groups  of  young  men.  Dr.  Mott  represents 
not  only  the  Student  Movement  and  the  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association,  but  is  also  a  member  of  the  Federal  Council  Com¬ 
mission  on  Relations  with  Japan,  the  Federal  Council  Commis¬ 
sion  on  Foreign  Missions,  and  is  a  trustee  of  the  Church  Peace 
Union. 

THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE  CONSTITUENT 
DENOMINATIONS 

The  Federal  Council  has  been  heartily  supported  by  its  con¬ 
stituent  bodies,  and  all  its  actions  and  utterances  have  been  ap¬ 
proved  by  them. 

The  denominational  assemblies  have  taken  actions,  of  which 
the  following  are  a  few  fair  examples : 

ALLIANCE  OF  REFORMED  CHURCHES 

Resolutions  adopted  by  the  Tenth  Council  of  the  Alliance  of 
the  Reformed  Churches  throughout  the  World,  Aberdeen,  Scotland, 
June  1913. 

“That  the  following  Resolution  commending  arbitration  in  the  settle¬ 
ment  of  international  disputes  be  approved: 

“  ‘That  while  the  condition  of  modern  nations  does  not  warrant  the 
confident  hope  that  war  can  be  altogether  avoided  as  a  means  of  settling 


28 


international  disputes,  this  Council  deplores  the  horrors  and  bloodshed 
that  are  ever  connected  with  it,  and  the  spirit  that  evokes  it,  as  contrary 
to  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  inconsistent  with  the  ideals  at  which 
the  Christian  Church  is  bound  to  aim. 

“  ‘The  Council  is  of  the  opinion  that  most  of  the  disputes  which  lead 
to  war  might  be  settled  by  properly  constituted  Courts  of  Arbitration, 
which  would  command  the  confidence  of  the  various  nations,  and  prepare 
the  way  for  the  diminution  of  the  armaments  which  now  lay  such  a  heavy 
burden  on  the  governments  and  peoples  of  the  various  countries  of  the 
world. 

“‘The  Council  therefore  rejoices  in  the  proposals  for  treaties  in  favor 
of  arbitration  between  different  nations,  providing  for  the  submission  of 
disputed  questions  to  such  Courts  before  appealing  to  the  arbitrament 
of  the  sword,  and  would  encourage  the  statesmen  of  the  world  to  seek  to 
secure  the  acceptance  of  such  treaties  wherever  possible.’  ” 


THE  BAPTIST  CHURCHES 

Northern  Baptist  Convention 

In  1914: 

“Confessing  anew  our  allegiance  to  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  desiring 
to  make  Christian  churches  the  foremost  peacemakers  of  the  world,  we 
condemn  the  rivalry  of  the  nations  in  creating  colossal  armies  and  battle¬ 
ships,  and  we  declare  our  abhorrence  of  the  men  and  the  papers  that 
would  fan  the  flames  of  race  prejudice  and  arouse  international  ill-will. 

“Believing  that  our  republic  is  fitted  both  by  its  principles  and  its 
position  to  lead  the  nations  in  the  paths  of  peace,  we  urge  our  pastors 
and  teachers  to  explain  the  evils  of  militarism  and  to  defend  the  cause 
of  international  arbitration.  We  earnestly  petition  our  government  to 
use  all  honorable  means  to  further  disarmament,  and  heartily  indorse 
its  efforts  to  bring  the  nations  together  for  a  third  Hague  conference  in 
1916. 

“Rejoicing  in  every  effort  made  to  avert  a  war  with  Mexico,  and  to 
secure  peace  in  that  distracted  republic,  we  record  our  steadfast  friend¬ 
ship  for  the  Mexican  people,  and  pray  that  a  way  out  of  their  distresses 
may  speedily  be  found. 

“The  far-reaching  plans  projected  by  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America  to  strengthen  the  bonds  of  good  fellowship 
between  Japan  and  the  United  States;  the  organization  of  the  Church 
Peace  Union  and  the  holding  of  a  World  Peace  Congress  this  summer  in 
Germany;  the  extended  celebrations  of  the  Ghent  treaty  of  peace  with 
Great  Britain,  and  the  several  treaties  of  arbitration  which  have  been 
made  with  different  nations  meet  with  our  heartiest  approval. 

“We  endorse  the  religious  work  proposed  by  the  Committee  of  One 
Hundred  appointed  by  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America  for  the  Panama-Pacific  Exposition  and  the  suggestion  that  Sun¬ 
day,  Oct.  11,  1914,  be  observed  as  Exposition  Sunday.” 


29 


THE  NATIONAL  COUNCIL  OF  THE  CONGREGATIONAL 

CHURCHES 


In  1904: 

“Resolved,  that  the  National  Council  of  the  Congregational  Churches 
of  the  United  States,  desiring  to  promote  the  peace  of  the  world,  hereby 
gives  its  support  to  the  resolution  unanimously  passed  by  the  Massachu¬ 
setts  Legislature  in  1903,  in  favor  of  a  regular  International  Congress,  to 
deliberate  upon  the  various  questions  of  common  interest  to  the  nations 
and  to  make  recommendations  thereon  to  the  Governments;  and  respect¬ 
fully  petitions  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  to  take  favorable  action 
thereon. 

“Resolved,  that  the  National  Council  of  the  Congregational  Churches 
of  the  United  States  hereby  expresses  the  satisfaction  with  which  it  has 
heard  the  announcement  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  his 
intention  to  call  an  international  conference  to  further  the  action  of  the 
Hague  Conference  in  reference  to  international  arbitration.” 


In  1913: 

“The  Congregational  Churches  of  the  United  States,  confessing  anew 
their  allegiance  to  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  desirous  of  making  the  Chris¬ 
tian  Church  the  foremost  peacemaker  of  the  world,  desire  to  place  on 
record  their  disapproval  of  the  present  rivalry  of  Christian  nations  in 
creating  colossal  armies  and  navies  and  to  declare  themselves  the  un¬ 
flinching  antagonists  of  all  who  by  word  or  deed  fan  the  flames  of  racial 
prejudice  or  disseminate  the  seeds  of  international  ill-will. 

“Believing  that  our  republic  both  by  situation  and  tradition  is  pe¬ 
culiarly  fitted  to  lead  the  nations  into  the  paths  of  peace,  we  appeal  to 
our  President  and  Congress  to  call  a  halt  in  the  swelling  expenditures 
for  the  paraphernalia  of  war  and  exhort  our  pastors  and  teachers  to  keep 
before  the  public  mind  the  evils  and  perils  of  militarism,  to  explain  and 
defend  the  cause  of  arbitration,  and  to  work  in  season  and  out  of  season 
for  the  advancement  of  world-wide  brotherhood. 

“We  heartily  commend  the  work  of  the  International  Conference  in 
its  program  for  the  commemoration  of  the  first  century  of  peace  between 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  and  recommend  that  in  all  our 
churches  exercises  be  held  which  shall  swell  the  significance  and  influence 
of  the  celebration.” 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST 

In  1913: 

“We  rejoice  in  the  movement  looking  toward  world  peace  and  com¬ 
mend  the  plans  for  a  proper  celebration  of  the  One  Hundred  Years  of 
Peace  between  the  English  speaking  nations  of  the  world.” 


30 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE  OF  THE  METHODIST 
EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

In  1912 : 

“Resolved,  that  this  General  Conference  feels  the  deepest  interest  in 
the  subject  of  peace.  It  here  records  its  approval  of  any  measure  that 
tends  to  prevent  bloodshed  and  war.  It  does  not  recognize  that  any 
differences  can  arise  between  nations  that  may  not  be  submitted  honor¬ 
ably  to  an  impartial  tribunal  for  settlement  and  adjudication;  and  it  ex¬ 
tends  to  President  Taft  profound  thanks  for  his  persistent  efforts  to 
establish  the  principle  of  international  arbitration.” 


THE  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH 

In  1912 : 

“Whereas,  the  mission  of  the  church  is  for  the  elevation  of  man  and 
the  furtherance  of  Christ’s  kingdom  on  earth,  and 

“Whereas,  the  ravages  of  war  and  frictions  of  internal  competition 
have  placed  upon  humanity  many  great  burdens  which  bear  heavily  upon 
the  people  of  the  different  nations,  and 

“Whereas,  there  has  been  internal  cognizance  taken  of  these  condi¬ 
tions,  and 

“Whereas,  efforts  have  been  made  and  are  being  made  to  establish  an 
International  Peace  Conference  or  Congress,  for  the  purpose  of  settling 
disputes  and  the  promotion  of  peace;  be  it  therefore 

“Resolved,  that  this  General  Conference  commend  the  actions  of 
William  Howard  Taft,  the  President  of  these  United  States,  in  initiating 
this  movement  and  in  his  efforts  to  establish  an  Internal  Peace  Commis¬ 
sion  or  Conference,  and  the  benevolence  of  Andrew  Carnegie  in  financing 
this  movement  looking  toward  the  elimination  of  wars,  disputes  and 
differences  and  thus  preserving  the  resources  of  nations  for  the  benefit 
of  humanity  and  establishing  the  universal  brotherhood  of  man  and  the 
Fatherhood  of  God. 

“Resolved,  that  the  Secretary  of  this  Conference  send  a  copy  of  these 
resolutions  to  the  President  and  to  Mr.  Carnegie.” 

GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A. 

In  1907: 

“The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America  records  its  gratitude  to  God  for  the  progress  made 
toward  that  day  when  nations  shall  learn  war  no  more,  and  hails  with 
satisfaction  the  increasing  sentiment  among  the  people  favoring  the  ar¬ 
bitration  of  difficulties  between  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  Assembly 
expresses  its  approval  of  the  doctrine  that  the  forces  of  this  world  should 
be  organized  for  and  in  the  interest  of  peace,  and  not  for  and  in  the 
interests  of  war.  It  commends  the  movement  toward  friendly  counsel 


31 


and  co-operation,  as  seen  in  The  Hague  Conference  and  the  recent  Peace 
Congress  in  New  York  City;  and  it  deplores  the  evils  and  expense  of 
war,  and  urges  upon  ministers  and  members  of  the  Church  to  aid,  in 
every  proper  way,  the  efforts  to  bring  about  the  peaceable  settlement  of 
international  troubles.  The  General  Assembly  would  also  suggest  that 
patriotic  occasions  may  be  utilized  by  the  ministry  for  proclaiming  the 
gospel  of  peace,  and  urging  that  the  law  of  love  be  made  the  rule  of  life, 
not  only  for  our  own  nation  but  for  all  the  world.  The  Assembly 
further  expresses  the  hope  that  at  the  approaching  sessions  of  The  Hague 
Conference,  the  representatives  of  participating  nations  may  be  able  to 
unite  in  a  plan  of  action  that  shall  be  a  practical  demonstration  to  the 
world  of  the  brotherhood  of  man,  and  bring  a  new  emphasis  upon  the 
message  of  “peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men.” 

In  1908 : 

“The  General  Assembly,  in  session  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and 
in  harmony  with  previous  deliverances,  again  puts  itself  on  record  as 
being  heartily  in  favor  of  International  Arbitration  where  difficulties 
arise  between  nations. 

“Further,  we  cordially  commend  President  Roosevelt  for  calling  the 
second  Hague  Conference,  and  for  sending  to  that  distinguished  body 
men  so  eminently  fitted  to  represent  this  great  nation  in  the  considera¬ 
tion  of  the  important  questions  which  came  before  the  Conference.  Al¬ 
though  there  was  no  direct  result  of  the  efforts  made  to  reduce  standing 
armies  or  to  cease  the  increase  of  navies,  yet  the  discussion  of  these 
questions  has  given  food  for  thought  to  the  people  of  the  civilized  na¬ 
tions,  who  more  and  more  are  making  their  influence  felt  for  the  main¬ 
tenance  of  peace  and  the  cause  of  International  Arbitration.  It  is  a  mat¬ 
ter  of  congratulation  that  much  was  accomplished  tending  to  the  peaceful 
settlement  of  difficulties  between  nations,  and  particularly  that  a  perma¬ 
nent  tribunal  for  hearing  and  settling  international  disputes  and  quarrels 
has  been  established.  We  further  rejoice  that  the  United  States  Gov¬ 
ernment  is  negotiating  treaties  with  friendly  nations,  some  of  which  have 
been  confirmed,  whereby  questions  and  disputes  between  them  and  us 
may  be  referred  to  arbitration  for  settlement. 

In  1909 : 

“The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  session  at  Denver,  Colorado,  May  1909,  makes  the 
following  declarations  and  recommendations: 

“1.  It  declares  its  convictions  that  war  is  evil,  and  that  Christian 
nations  should  determine  by  obligatory  arbitration  the  international 
differences  which  can  not  be  settled  by  diplomacy.  For  Christian  States  in 
the  twentieth  century  to  refuse  to  arbitrate  and  to  insist  on  war  will  be 
to  bring  reproach  on  the  Christian  name. 

“2.  It  favors  the  creation  of  the  International  Court  of  Arbitral  Justice 
proposed  by  the  Second  Hague  Conference,  and  hopes  that  the  Govern¬ 
ment  of  the  United.  States  will  promote  its  establishment,  and  that  at  the 
earliest  possible  day. 


32 


“3.  It  is  opposed  to  increase  of  armaments,  and  deplores  the  failure 
of  the  Hague  Conferences  to  come  to  an  agreement  upon  this  all-important 
subject. 

“ 4 .  It  has  learned  with  much  satisfaction  that  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  has  recently  entered  into  treaties  of  arbitration  with 
some  of  the  nations,  and  it  trusts  that  without  unnecessary  delay  other 
treaties  of  arbitration  may  be  made  with  other  States.  It  regrets  that  it 
seemed  to  the  contracting  powers  to  be  desirable  to  limit  the  existence  of 
these  treaties  to  five  years,  and  to  restrict  the  subjects  to  be  arbitrated 
to  the  somewhat  narrow  limits  which  the  treaties  define. 

“5.  It  recommends  that  the  first  Sunday  before  Christmas,  in  each 
year,  be  observed  throughout  our  churches  as  Peace  Sunday.” 

In  1911 : 

“Resolved,  That  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America  recognizes  with  thanksgiving  the  present 
movement,  inaugurated  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  heartily 
promoted  by  the  Secretary  for  Foreign  Affairs  of  Great  Britain,  looking 
toward  international  peace;  and  that  we  urge  all  public  and  private  indi¬ 
viduals  in  our  communion  to  use  their  best  endeavors  and  offer  their 
earnest  prayers,  for  the  consummation  of  the  treaties  now  under  con¬ 
sideration  by  England,  France  and  the  United  States,  having  for  their 
purpose  the  ushering  in  of  the  era  when  the  nations  shall  not  learn  war 
any  more. 

“Resolved,  That  copies  of  this  resolution  be  forwarded  by  the  Stated 
Clerk  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  and  the  President  of  the 
Senate.” 

In  1912: 

“While  the  Assembly  may  not  approve  or  endorse  any  proposal  or 
programs,  the  Presbyterian  Church  stands  for  the  plan  of  arbitration  in 
relation  to  international  disagreements,  and  is  vitally  concerned  for  the 
speedy  realization  in  righteousness  of  the  reign  of  universal  peace  and 
good  will.” 

In  1913 : 

“This  Assembly,  having  listened  with  profound  interest  to  Mr.  J.  A. 
MacDonald’s  presentation  of  the  theme.  The  Church  and  International 
Peace,  expresses  its  sympathy  with  the  views  he  presents,  reaffirms  the  de¬ 
liverances  of  previous  Assemblies  on  this  vital  subject,  places  on  record 
its  adherence  to  the  principle  of  arbitration  as  the  only  just  method  of 
settling  international  difficulties,  and  prays  fervently  for  the  coming  of 
the  day  when  war  shall  be  no  more.” 

In  1914: 

“The  General  Assembly  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  there  has 
already  been  established  at  the  Hague  a  Court  of  International  Arbi¬ 
tration,  which  has,  in  the  few  years  of  its  existence,  settled  many  disputes 


33 


between  nations.  It  trusts  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  every 
international  controversy  shall  be  submitted  to  that  tribunal  for  final 
decision,  thereby  bringing  about  that  time  for  which  our  Church  has  so 
long  been  praying,  when  wars  shall  cease.” 


THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 

Action  of  the  Assembly  of  1911 : 

In  reply  to  the  memorials  asking  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause 
of  universal  international  peace,  we  recommend  that  the  Assembly  endorse 
the  movement  for  the  appointment  of  an  “International  Peace  Tribunal;” 
that  it  heartily  approve  the  initiative  taken  by  President  Taft  for  the 
settlement  of  all  international  questions  involving  the  United  States  before 
such  a  court,  and  that  it  appoint  the  last  Sabbath  in  December  of  each 
year  as  Peace  Sabbath,  on  which  its  ministers  may  bring  before  their 
people  the  subject  of  International  Peace. 

In  1912 : 

“Resolved,  That  the  Prince  of  Peace  is  worthy  of  our  highest  alle¬ 
giance  as  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  nations. 

“That  we  favor  all  such  measures  as  look  to  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  and  promise  of  universal  peace. 

“That  we  specially  favor  the  formation  of  unlimited  arbitration 
treaties  with  other  nations,  and  pledge  our  influence  for  their  adoption. 

“That  we  commend  our  national  Congress  for  its  refusal  to  increase 
this  year  the  number  of  our  warships,  and  express  our  hope  that  our 
Government  shall  lead  the  nations  in  the  work  of  disarmament. 

“That  Sabbath,  December  22,  1912,  be  designated  as  Peace  Day,  to  be 
observed  for  the  special  promotion  of  peace  principles  and  sentiment. 

In  1913: 

“Resolved,  That  our  churches  and  colleges  be  urged  to  give  more 
frequent  and  more  serious  attention  to  the  problem  of  International  Peace 
and  Arbitration.  This  Assembly  officially  endorses  and  adopts  as  the 
sentiment  of  this  body  the  great  plea  and  noble  address  on  ‘The  Church’s 
Responsibility  for  International  Peace’  presented  at  the  mass  meeting  on 
the  evening  of  May  15,  1913,  by  the  Hon.  J.  A.  MacDonald,  of  Toronto, 
Canada. 

“We  urge  the  wide  circulation  of  this  address,  and  we  urge  our 
ministers  to  encourage  and  reflect  the  sentiment  that  exists  among  the 
people  in  favor  of  International  Arbitration  and  Peace. 

“We  deplore  and  oppose  the  increase  of  armaments,  and  we  urge  our 
Government  to  pursue  a  policy,  both  in  national  and  international  affairs, 
that  will  promote  such  conditions  as  will  secure  relief  to  the  people  from 
the  woeful  burdens  of  war  and  preparations  for  war. 

“This  policy  we  urge  in  the  name  of  the  great  Prince  of  Peace.” 


34 


In  1914: 

“Resolved,  That  we  heartily  approve  of  the  proposed  celebration  of 
the  Treaty  of  Peace,  which  brought  the  last  war  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States  to  a  happy  conclusion,  and  which  was  signed  at 
Ghent,  Belgium,  December  24,  1814,  and  ratified  February  17,  1815,  by 
the  American  Church  Peace  Centenary  Committee.  We  recommend  that 
our  Synods  and  Presbyteries  co-operate  as  far  as  possible  with  the  Com¬ 
mittee  in  reaching  all  the  churches  and  Sabbath  schools  and  young  people’s 
societies  belonging  thereto. 

“That  on  the  day  indicated  for  the  celebration,  sermons  shall  be 
preached  setting  forth  the  blessings  which  one  hundred  years  of  peace 
have  brought  to  the  two  nations  and  to  the  world,  showing  how  superior 
human  reason  is  to  human  passion  in  settling  international  disputes;  and 
to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  youth  tlie  great  truth  that  the  honors 
of  peace  are  greater  than  the  honors  of  war.” 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

In  1907: 

“Resolved,  that  this  General  Convention  wishes  to  express  to  the 
world  its  thankfulness  to  God  that  all  the  nations  of  the  world  have  at 
last,  in  this  year  of  our  Lord  1907,  been  brought  together  at  The  Hague 
in  a  glorious  effort  to  promote  and  establish  universal  Peace. 

“We  rejoice  in  all  efforts  to  bring  about  this  grand  consummation, 
especially  those  to  create  and  perfect  Courts  for  the  judicial  decision  of 
internal  disputes. 

“We  rejoice  to  see  that  these  efforts  spring  from  a  growing  convic¬ 
tion  that  relations  between  nations  must  rest  on  the  solid  foundation  of 
justice. 

“We  reverently  thank  God  for  the  guidance  of  His  Holy  Spirit  in 
bringing  all  nations  into  relations  of  amity.  Only  when  convinced  that 
they  are  friends,  and  no  longer  enemies,  will  they  be  ready  to  lessen 
preparations  for  war  and  to  devote  the  productive  energies  of  men  towards 
wise  measures  for  their  uplift.  Even  now  the  great  Hague  Conference 
is  studying  to  abate  the  brutalities  of  war  and  to  strengthen  the  bonds 
of  peace. 

“We  pray  the  God  of  Nations  to  make  the  nations  of  the  world  to 
be  no  longer  enemies,  but  sincere  friends;  to  love  justice;  to  create 
Courts  for  its  enforcement;  and  so  to  establish  peace  on  the  firm  founda¬ 
tion  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  revealed  to  us  as  His  will  for  all 
His  children  here  on  earth.” 


THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

In  1914 : 

In  the  report  of  the  committee  on  correspondence,  Section  17  reads: 
“A  communication  was  received  from  the  American  Peace  Centenary 
Committee  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America. 


35 


“The  treaty  of  peace  which  brought  the  last  war  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  to  a  happy  conclusion,  was  signed  in  Ghent, 
Belgium,  Dec.  24,  1814,  and  ratified  Feb.  17,  1815. 

“American,  British  and  Canadian  Committees  have  been  organized  to 
celebrate  the  Centenary  of  Peace  among  English  speaking  peoples,  and  to 
demonstrate  to  the  world  that  the  victories  of  peace  are  more  worthy 
of  renown  than  those  of  war. 

“We  recommend  that  Sunday,  Feb.  14,  1915,  as  far  as  convenient  be 
observed  as  Peace  Centenary  Day  by  all  Churches,  Sunday  Schools  and 
Young  People’s  Societies.” 


GENERAL  SYNOD  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH 
IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

In  1896 : 

“To  His  Excellency,  the  President  of  the  United  States: 

“The  General  Synod  of  the  Deformed  Church  in  the  United  States 
assembled  at  Dayton,  O.,  wishes  you  grace,  mercy  and  peace. 

“We  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when  all  civilized  nations  are 
ready  to  see  and  acknowledge  that  all  international  differences  can  be 
adjusted,  more  fully  in  accordance  with  righteousness  and  truth,  by 
arbitration  than  by  arms. 

“We  believe  also  that  war  for  the  settlement  of  differences  between 
nations  is  dishonorable  so  long  as  any  honorable,  peaceable  means  are 
possible;  we  therefore  unite  in  assuring  your  excellency,  together  with  all 
others  of  our  sympathy,  co-operation  and  prayers  in  every  effort  made 
by  you  in  the  establishment  of  boards  or  courts  of  international  arbitra¬ 
tion,  so  that,  when  all  the  usual  means  of  diplomacy  prove  inadequate, 
these  international  courts  may  render  a  decision. 

“These  decisions,  made  by  impartial  representative  citizens  of  both 
nations,  we  believe,  would  always  be  more  fully  just  to  all  parties 
concerned,  and  would  in  any  event  be  reached  by  resort  to  arms. 
Much  more,  such  a  cause  would  hold  in  subjection  the  baser  elements  in 
man,  and  exalt  and  honor  the  Prince  of  Peace,  whose  will  it  is  our  ad¬ 
vantage  to  do,  and  whose  commands  it  is  our  injury  to  disobey. 

“Resolved,  that  the  Stated  Clerk  be  requested  to  transmit  a  copy 
of  this  action  to  the  President  of  the  United  States.” 

In  1911 : 

General  Synod  adopted  the  following  resolution: 

“Resolved,  By  the  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the 
U.  S.,  convened  in  Canton,  Ohio,  May,  1911:  That  we  heartily  approve 
of  the  efforts  of  our  national  authorities  in  behalf  of  the  settlement  of 
all  international  disputes  by  arbitration,  without  resort  to  the  terrible 
arbitrament  of  war. 

“Resolved,  That  to  this  end  we  favor  the  establishment  of  a  perma¬ 
nent  Court  of  Arbitral  Justice  at  The  Hague  and  a  reduction  of  arma¬ 
ments  in  the  interests  of  peace  and  Christian  civilization.” 


36 


In  1914: 

“Resolved,  That  Sunday,  February  14,  1915,  be  designated  as  Peace 
Centenary  Day  and  that  our  pastors  be  requested  to  make  due  observance 
of  it.” 

This  action  was  taken  in  response  to  a  letter  from  the  Federal  Council 
of  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  of  which  Council  the  Reformed  Church 
is  a  member.  The  letter  cites  the  fact  that  the  treaty  of  peace  which 
brought  to  a  happy  conclusion  the  last  war  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States  was  signed  in  Ghent,  Belgium,  December  24,  1814,  and 
ratified  February  17,  1815.  The  request  is  made  that  February  14,  1915, 
be  designated  as  the  Sunday  on  which  to  celebrate  the  event  in  our 
churches,  Sunday  Schools  and  Young  People’s  Societies.  The  hope  is  ex¬ 
pressed  that  the  same  will  be  done  by  the  churches  of  Great  Britain, 
Canada,  and  the  British  colonies. 

The  action  of  the  Federal  Council’s  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbi¬ 
tration  was  endorsed  by  the  General  Synod  as  follows: 

“We,  representatives  of  the  federated  forces  of  seventeen  million 
Christians  in  the  United  States,  desire  to  put  on  record  our  steadfast 
friendship  for  the  Mexican  people,  and  to  express  our  sympathy  with  them 
in  the  disorders  which  now  trouble  their  country.  That  a  way  out  of 
their  distresses  may  be  found  is  our  earnest,  constant  hope.  We  wish 
them  prosperity  and  peace. 

“We  wish  further  to  express  our  conviction  that  the  thought  of  war 
between  Mexico  and  the  United  States  is  abhorrent  to  the  vast  majority 
of  our  people.  The  citizens  of  our  Republic  want  no  war  with  our 
southern  neighbor,  nor  do  they  desire  to  dominate  it,  or  to  interfere 
in  its  internal  affairs,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  desire  cordial  relations 
and  friendly  intercourse. 

“We  rejoice  that  in  our  President  and  our  Secretary  of  State  we  have 
men  who  are  lovers  of  peace,  and  whose  purpose  it  is  to  maintain  peace, 
if  at  all  possible,  not  only  with  Mexico  but  with  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  That  the  purpose  of  our  President  and  his  Councillors  shall  be 
carried  out  is  not  only  our  hope  but  our  confident  expectation. 

“  ‘Blessed  are  the  peacemakers’ — so  we  believe — and  we  are  confident 
that  the  glory  of  the  present  administration  will  be  enhanced  and  its  fame 
augmented,  not  by  the  slaughter  of  tens  of  thousands  of  the  young  men 
of  the  two  republics,  but  by  the  peaceful  solution  of  a  difficult  and  vexing 
problem,  by  forbearance  and  long-suffering  calm  wisdom  of  a  Christian 
statesmenship.” 

The  above  selections  indicate  the  attitude  of  the  thirty  de¬ 
nominations  of  the  Federal  Council. 

Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  Friends,  whose  utter¬ 
ances  have  been  continuous,  and  who  have  always  been  a  Peace 
Society  in  themselves. 


37 


THE  CHURCH  PEACE  UNION  AND  THIS  CHURCH 
PEACE  CONFERENCE 


The  Federal  Council  co-operates  heartily  with  the  Church 
Peace  Union,  and  has  taken  the  following  action  through  the 
Federal  Council  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration: 

“It  is  recommended  that  the  Secretary  and  the  Committee  of  Direction 
convey  to  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Church  Peace  Union  the  desire 
of  this  Commission  to  serve  the  Church  Peace  Union  in  reaching  the 
churches  in  a  campaign  of  education  and  propaganda,  and  in  all  ways 
whereby  the  Church  Peace  Union  may  utilize  the  forces  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  in  this  interest.” 

“It  is  recommended  that  the  Commission  express  its  warm  appreciation 
of  the  recent  Appeal  to  the  Christian  churches  issued  by  the  Conference 
of  the  Evangelical  churches  of  Switzerland,  and  that  the  Secretary  of  the 
Commission  and  the  Committee  of  Direction  be  empowered  to  assist  in 
arranging  for  any  international  or  other  conference  of  the  churches  which 
may  be  held  in  the  interest  of  International  Peace.” 

The  Church  Peace  Union  has  cordially  recognized  the  Fed¬ 
eral  Council  as  an  official  and  effective  agency  created  by  the 
Protestant  Evangelical  churches  to  act  for  them,  and  is  making 
the  Federal  Council  one  of  its  channels  for  reaching  the  churches, 
and  is  rendering  it  the  needed  support  for  reaching  the  large 
elements  in  the  religious  life  of  America  united  in  the  Federal 
Council. 


THE  CHURCH  PEACE  CONGRESS  AT 
CONSTANCE,  GERMANY 

The  Administrative  Committee  of  the  Federal  Council  took 
the  following  actions  June  11,  1914: 

“Voted,  that  in  response  to  the  request,  from  the  Federal  Council  Com¬ 
mission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration,  the  Administrative  Committee  approves 
the  joint  plans  of  the  Church  Peaee  Union  of  America  and  the  Associated 
Councils  of  Churches  in  the  British  and  German  Empires  for  a  Congress 
on  international  peace  to  be  held  at  Constance,  August,  1914,  of  whose 
Committee  of  Arrangements  the  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  is  a 
member.” 

“That  the  Secretary  of  the  Council,  Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  and 
the  representative  of  the  Commission  on  Relations  with  Japan,  Rev.  Sidney 
L.  Gulick,  be  elected  as  delegates  to  the  Congress.” 


38 


“Voted,  that  the  following  additional  delegates  nominated  by  the  Fed¬ 
eral  Council  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration  be  also  appointed  as 
delegates  to  the  Congress: 


Abbott,  Rev.  Ernest  Hamlin 
Ainslie,  Rev.  Peter 
Anderson,  Rev.  William  F. 
Batten,  Rev.  Samuel  Z. 
Bitting,  Rev.  W.  C. 

Boynton,  Rev.  Nehemiah 
Bridgman,  Rev.  Howard  A. 
Brown,  Rev.  William  Adams 
Crawford,  Hanford 
Day,  Rev.  Jonathan 
Dickie,  Rev.  Samuel 
Douglas,  Rev.  George  William 
Durham,  Rev.  Plato  T. 

Finley,  J ohn  H. 

Gardiner,  Robert  H. 

Good,  Rev.  James  I. 
Baines-Griffiths,  Rev.  David 
Hall,  Rev.  Thomas  C. 
Hamilton,  Rev.  John  W. 
Hendrix,  Rev.  E.  R. 

Holt,  Hamilton 
Horr,  Rev.  George  E. 


Joy,  James  R. 

Laidlaw,  Rev.  Walter 
Lord,  Rev.  Rivington  D. 
Lynch,  Rev.  Frederick 
Lyon,  D.  Willard 
MacCracken,  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Merrill,  Rev.  William  P. 
Minton,  Rev.  Henry  C. 
Moxom,  Rev.  Philip  S. 
Nasmyth,  George  W. 
Ralston,  Rev.  Chestor  F. 
Roberts,  Rev.  William  H. 
Rogers,  Henry  Wade 
Spencer,  Rev.  Claudius  B. 
Taylor,  Rev.  Graham 
Thompson,  Rev.  Charles  L. 
Tipple,  Rev.  Ezra  Squier 
Vance,  Rev.  James  I. 
Wenner,  Rev.  George  U. 
Wilson,  Bishop  Luther  B. 
Winchester,  Rt.  Rev.  James  R. 
Woelfkin,  Rev.  Cornelius 


“Voted,  that  these  delegates  be  requested  to  have  a  meeting  at  the  close 
of  the  Congress  and  prepare  a  report  to  be  submitted  to  the  Commission 
on  Peace  and  Arbitration  and  to  the  Federal  Council.” 

It  was  the  preparatory  work  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  its  Commission  on  Peace  and 
Arbitration,  and  especially  the  incessant  labors  and  persuasive 
eloquence  of  the  Commission’s  former  Secretary,  Rev.  Frederick 
Lynch,  that  prepared  the  way  for  the  organization  of  the  Church 
Peace  Union;  and  among  the  trustees  of  the  Church  Peace  Union 
are  the  President  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  America,  Professor  Shailer  Mathews ;  the  Chairman  of  its  Com¬ 
mission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration,  Rev.  J.  B.  Remensnyder;  the 
former  President,  Bishop  E.  R.  Hendrix,  and  a  large  number  of 
other  officers  and  representatives  of  the  Federal  Council.  The 
Federal  Council  also  gave  its  Peace  and  Arbitration  Secretary, 
Dr.  Lynch,  to  the  Church  Peace  Union,  in  the  belief  that  he 
could  do  a  larger  work  in  that  position. 


39 


I  have  given  a  review  which  I  profoundly  believe  reveals  and 
prophesies  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  churches  of  the  United  States. 

This  review  relates  only  to  the  thirty  religious  bodies  fed¬ 
erated  in  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 
and  I  should  be  ungenerous  did  I  not  say  that  the  other  religious 
bodies,  not  included  in  the  Federal  Council,  are  all  of  the  same 
spirit  and  temper;  and,  while  I  can  not  speak  for  them  officially, 
I  cheerfully  undertake  to  do  so  personally.  In  the  Church  Peace 
Union  we  have  the  opportunity  to  represent,  in  an  unofficial  but  yet 
effective  way,  the  whole  religious  sentiment  of  our  nation. 

The  Federal  Council  freely  co-operates,  not  only  with  all  re¬ 
ligious  bodies  in  these  concerns,  but  the  influence  and  forces  of  the 
Council  have  been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Peace  Organiza¬ 
tions,  and  on  many  occasions  we  have  acted  by  their  guidance, 
notably  with  the  ISTew  York  Peace  Society  and  its  Secretary,  Rev. 
William  H.  Short,  and  with  the  support  of  the  American  Asso¬ 
ciation  for  International  Conciliation  and  the  counsel  of  its  Presi¬ 
dent,  Nicholas  Murray  Butler  and  its  Secretary,  Frederick  P. 
Keppel. 

The  President  of  the  Council,  Professor  Shailer  Mathews,  its 
International  Representative,  Dr.  Sidney  L.  Gulick,  and  the  Sec¬ 
retary  represent  the  churches  at  the  various  Peace  Congresses,  the 
Lake  Mohonk  Conference,  on  the  American  Centenary  Committee, 
and  many  similar  movements. 

The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 
therefore,  gladly  conveys  through  the  Church  Peace  Union  and 
its  Secretary,  my  honored  colleague,  Dr.  Lynch,  the  greetings,  the 
goodwill  and  the  brotherhood  of  the  Protestant  Evangelical 
churches  of  America  to  the  churches  and  the  people  of  Europe. 
In  this  connection  I  ought  to  remind  you  that  the  movement  for 
International  Peace  among  the  churches  is  due,  like  all  such 
movements,  pre-eminently  to  the  leadership  of  one  man,  Dr.  Lynch, 
and  the  participation  of  other  personalities  has  been  largely  by 
his  initiative,  and  has  been  willingly  performed  under  his  wise 
and  enthusiastic  leadership. 

On  behalf  of  my  associate,  Rev.  Sidney  L.  Gulick,  our  Repre¬ 
sentative  on  International  Relations,  and  the  other  delegates  sent 
here  by  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  we  enter  this  Conference  freely  and 
gladly,  to  serve  and  to  act  without  restraint,  in  any  way  that  may 

40 


be  clearly  revealed  as  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the 
Gospel  professed  and  proclaimed  by  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 


41 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Books  issued  or  distributed  by  the  Book  Department  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  105  East 
22d  Street,  New  York,  containing  material  relative  to  the  Peace 
Movement  and  the  Social  Movement  in  the  churches : 

Church  Federation. — Edited  by  E.  B.  Sanford,  Honorary 
Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council. 

The  Federal  Council. — Edited  by  E.  B.  Sanford. 

Christian  Unity  at  Work. — Edited  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Federal  Council. 

The  Peace  Problem  and  What  Makes  a  Nation  Great. — 
By  Frederick  Lynch,  Secretary  of  the  Church  Peace  Union  and 
former  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  Commission  on  Peace 
and  Arbitration. 

The  Christian  Ministry  and  the  Social  Order. — Edited 
by  the  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council. 

Spiritual  Culture  and  Social  Service. — By  Charles  S. 
Macfarland. 

A  Yearbook  of  the  Church  and  Social  Service. — By  Harry 
F.  Ward,  Associate  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  Commission 
on  the  Church  and  Social  Service. 


\ 


•?>sa 


